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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,863 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,506 in Arar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Arar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Arar 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.83 SAR 25.65

71.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$44.99 SAR 169

-7.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.94 SAR 29.80

34.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.74 SAR 14.04

-5.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.78 SAR 2.93

93.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 SAR 1.17

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.63 SAR 6.14

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.01 SAR 3.80

87.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-31.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.45 SAR 9.18

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.92 SAR 25.95

20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.65 SAR 28.71

9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.96 SAR 48.65

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.27 SAR 8.50

14.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.68 SAR 6.32

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.24 SAR 4.65

43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.26 SAR 4.74

73.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.23 SAR 4.60

-15.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 SAR 2.05

96.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.16 SAR 26.87

-43.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-53.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.09 SAR 150

-34.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.70 SAR 10.14

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.82 SAR 6.81

36.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-75.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.64 SAR 2.39

104.69%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

13.97%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

6.74%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$103 SAR 388

-19.79%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$34.41 SAR 129

-35.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$76.1 SAR 286

-61.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$87.2 SAR 327

-40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.10 SAR 132

-47.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-67.42%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$358 SAR 1,344

-43.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

-24.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.0 SAR 221

-37.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$60.9 SAR 229

-34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$78.9 SAR 296

-0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$82.3 SAR 309

5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$442 SAR 1,657

120.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$380 SAR 1,427

23.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$860 SAR 3,228

90.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$616 SAR 2,312

98.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,117 SAR 7,944

86.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,299 SAR 4,876

400.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 in Arar – so Arar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,221 in Arar – roughly 6% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,832 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 52% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $358 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 $1,221, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,221 in Arar to $1,297 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.