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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,232 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,019 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,805 in Buraydah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Buraydah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.18 SAR 49.51

-11.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$40.32 SAR 151

16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.07 SAR 30.30

47.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.57 SAR 13.43

11.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.75 SAR 2.82

90.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 SAR 1.06

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.66 SAR 6.23

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.16 SAR 4.36

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.48 SAR 9.31

-31.05%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.87 SAR 10.78

-4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.51 SAR 31.97

12.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.74 SAR 25.30

33.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.57 SAR 51.0

-5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.35 SAR 8.83

22.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.69 SAR 6.33

27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.68 SAR 6.32

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.46 SAR 5.49

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.35 SAR 5.08

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.09 SAR 4.11

12.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.66 SAR 2.48

81.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SAR 9.66

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.53 SAR 24.52

-30.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-44.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$35.90 SAR 135

-19.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.63 SAR 9.86

104.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.58 SAR 9.70

44.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.34 SAR 61.4

-64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.64 SAR 2.39

140.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$41.9K SAR 157.3K

-46.14%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

13.43%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$70.8 SAR 266

29.14%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$31.23 SAR 117

-19.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$71.2 SAR 267

-56.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$134 SAR 505

-50.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$36.51 SAR 137

-20.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$15.51 SAR 58.3

-68.67%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$261 SAR 980

-14.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,795 SAR 14.3K

11.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$51.7 SAR 194

-8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$57.2 SAR 215

-22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$82.7 SAR 311

-3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$71.7 SAR 269

29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$683 SAR 2,566

55.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$342 SAR 1,284

14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$869 SAR 3,263

147.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$831 SAR 3,121

53.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,347 SAR 8,816

70.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,366 SAR 5,133

375.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,509 SAR 9,425

-69.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.98

187.69%

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 Buraydah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $683 in Buraydah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 231% higher in Buraydah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $207 – making Buraydah 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,849 in Buraydah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,232 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Buraydah, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Buraydah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buraydah costs $1,232 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Buraydah. 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.