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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,212 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,961 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,711 in Buraydah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buraydah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Buraydah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.70 SAR 47.69

-7.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$39.24 SAR 147

6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.22 SAR 27.11

45.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.68 SAR 13.81

-2.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.74 SAR 2.76

104.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.28 SAR 1.06

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.05 SAR 3.93

79.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-36.33%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.51 SAR 9.44

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.53 SAR 32.03

-2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.63 SAR 24.90

25.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.90 SAR 52.2

-21.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.57 SAR 9.66

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.40 SAR 5.26

33.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.74 SAR 6.53

25.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.42 SAR 5.32

30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.54 SAR 5.79

44.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.16 SAR 4.36

-7.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.70 SAR 2.61

55.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SAR 9.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.26 SAR 23.51

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.27 SAR 147

-33.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.67 SAR 10.04

15.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.91 SAR 7.19

25.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$16.48 SAR 61.9

-81.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.63 SAR 2.37

107.94%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

12.50%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$24.2K SAR 90.7K

-3.44%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$77.9 SAR 293

4.31%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$30.14 SAR 113

-25.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$71.6 SAR 269

-58.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$101 SAR 380

-47.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$36.35 SAR 137

-49.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.67 SAR 58.9

-68.60%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$267 SAR 1,003

-24.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,749 SAR 14.1K

38.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$52.0 SAR 195

-30.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$72.8 SAR 274

-44.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$80.5 SAR 302

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$70.8 SAR 266

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$637 SAR 2,393

53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$343 SAR 1,289

37.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$751 SAR 2,818

120.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$786 SAR 2,953

53.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,399 SAR 9,009

64.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,357 SAR 5,095

386.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,555 SAR 9,594

-73.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $637 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 278% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 4% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,817 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,212 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $1,212, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $1,212 versus $1,260 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.