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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,991 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,797 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 5% lower, Buraydah 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$12.42 SAR 46.59

-4.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$40.45 SAR 152

6.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.16 SAR 26.88

48.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.69 SAR 13.85

-6.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.79 SAR 2.95

89.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.26 SAR 0.97

265.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.08 SAR 4.05

71.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.51 SAR 9.41

-35.86%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.53 SAR 32.00

-3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.61 SAR 24.79

26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.69 SAR 51.4

-22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.54 SAR 9.52

3.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.45 SAR 5.45

32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.66 SAR 6.24

25.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.46 SAR 5.47

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.56 SAR 5.87

44.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.17 SAR 4.38

-9.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.65 SAR 2.45

67.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.56 SAR 24.63

-36.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-50.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$40.40 SAR 152

-33.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.71 SAR 10.16

15.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.85 SAR 6.95

35.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$16.84 SAR 63.2

-81.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.65 SAR 2.42

95.38%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

14.72%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.3K SAR 91.0K

-2.85%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$75.8 SAR 284

9.50%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$30.31 SAR 114

-25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$69.7 SAR 261

-57.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$101 SAR 380

-49.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$36.15 SAR 136

-49.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$16.04 SAR 60.2

-69.26%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$267 SAR 1,002

-26.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,775 SAR 14.2K

39.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$52.1 SAR 196

-29.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$72.3 SAR 271

-44.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$82.3 SAR 309

-2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$72.4 SAR 272

23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$631 SAR 2,368

51.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$343 SAR 1,287

39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$760 SAR 2,851

116.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$784 SAR 2,943

56.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,360 SAR 8,854

66.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,335 SAR 5,008

383.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,829 SAR 10.6K

-76.42%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $631 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 324% 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: $250 vs $205 – 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,776 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,184 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 $1,184, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,184 versus $1,271 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.