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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,198 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,959 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,720 in Buraydah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Buraydah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.74 SAR 47.77

-6.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$39.99 SAR 150

6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.20 SAR 27.00

47.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.52 SAR 13.20

2.84%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.75 SAR 2.80

96.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.26 SAR 0.97

261.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.06 SAR 3.96

77.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-33.74%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.60 SAR 9.74

1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.37 SAR 31.39

-1.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.85 SAR 25.67

21.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.81 SAR 51.8

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.57 SAR 9.63

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.80 SAR 6.73

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.40 SAR 5.23

42.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.74 SAR 6.52

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.46 SAR 5.48

22.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.55 SAR 5.81

40.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.12 SAR 4.20

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.69 SAR 2.59

50.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 SAR 9.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.53 SAR 24.49

-39.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-52.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$40.29 SAR 151

-33.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.64 SAR 9.88

18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.88 SAR 7.05

27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$16.40 SAR 61.5

-81.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.60 SAR 2.26

111.67%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.7K SAR 100.0K

15.83%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-3.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$76.6 SAR 287

7.13%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$30.20 SAR 113

-25.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$69.6 SAR 261

-57.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$100 SAR 376

-48.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$36.17 SAR 136

-48.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$16.06 SAR 60.2

-69.05%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$267 SAR 1,002

-25.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,766 SAR 14.1K

40.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$52.5 SAR 197

-30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$73.3 SAR 275

-45.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$80.3 SAR 301

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$70.7 SAR 265

25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$635 SAR 2,383

51.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$334 SAR 1,253

39.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$757 SAR 2,839

110.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$790 SAR 2,961

53.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,379 SAR 8,921

65.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,334 SAR 5,002

383.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,846 SAR 10.7K

-74.68%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $635 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 295% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $206 – 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 7% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,797 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,198 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,198, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,198 versus $1,287 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.