Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,180 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,796 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,412 in Arar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Arar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Arar 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.61 SAR 24.81

75.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$37.56 SAR 141

25.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.94 SAR 29.84

49.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.46 SAR 13.00

15.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.83 SAR 3.11

72.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.26 SAR 0.98

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.17 SAR 4.39

88.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-24.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.35 SAR 8.82

16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.49 SAR 28.15

27.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.22 SAR 30.89

9.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.91 SAR 48.47

-0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.16 SAR 8.11

33.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-12.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.55 SAR 5.81

38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.66 SAR 6.24

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.19 SAR 4.46

66.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.36 SAR 5.11

46.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.19 SAR 4.46

3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.59 SAR 2.21

103.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.50 SAR 24.43

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$36.08 SAR 136

-20.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.84 SAR 10.68

89.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.77 SAR 6.66

110.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.05 SAR 49.01

-55.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.63 SAR 2.38

144.44%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

-50.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

20.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,573

$99.4 SAR 373

-8.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$434

$32.81 SAR 123

-23.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$66.9 SAR 251

-53.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$84.3 SAR 317

-20.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$37.46 SAR 141

-22.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$13.21 SAR 49.63

-63.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,851

$338 SAR 1,271

-33.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

-36.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$51.2 SAR 192

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$57.1 SAR 215

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$96.0 SAR 360

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$88.8 SAR 334

4.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$577 SAR 2,169

84.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$343 SAR 1,287

13.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$864 SAR 3,246

148.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$556 SAR 2,089

128.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,381 SAR 8,943

68.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,381 SAR 5,187

370.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.47

109.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Arar: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $577 in Arar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $203 – making Arar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,180 in Arar – roughly 7% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,770 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $338 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Arar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,180 in Arar to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.