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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,303 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,663 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,024 in Dhahran, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Dhahran have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dhahran 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.39 SAR 20.22

121.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$39.25 SAR 147

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.37 SAR 23.92

84.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.95 SAR 14.84

4.30%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.73 SAR 2.75

91.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.15 SAR 0.58

506.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.64 SAR 6.17

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.02 SAR 3.82

110.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.93 SAR 7.26

-8.29%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.81 SAR 14.30

-25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.58 SAR 32.21

7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$11.12 SAR 41.77

-17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.59 SAR 51.1

-6.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.09 SAR 7.86

41.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.41 SAR 5.28

12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.82 SAR 6.85

21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.75 SAR 6.58

34.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.55 SAR 5.84

28.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.95 SAR 3.56

108.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-36.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.92 SAR 3.47

31.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.67 SAR 17.55

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.71 SAR 21.43

-19.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-27.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.35 SAR 5.07

288.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.41 SAR 12.80

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$9.35 SAR 35.12

-38.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.64 SAR 2.41

140.63%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$51.9K SAR 194.9K

-56.07%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

24.35%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$59.7 SAR 224

51.85%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$42.29 SAR 159

-40.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$66.7 SAR 251

-52.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$197 SAR 741

-65.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$91.5 SAR 344

-67.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.51 SAR 39.48

-53.76%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$67.6 SAR 254

233.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

-69.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$50.5 SAR 190

-6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$43.25 SAR 162

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$75.1 SAR 282

6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$90.0 SAR 338

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$361 SAR 1,357

200.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$460 SAR 1,728

-11.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,813 SAR 10.6K

-72.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.5

154.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Dhahran. 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 264% higher in Dhahran. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $232 – making Dhahran 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,954 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $39.00 in Dhahran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,303, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Dhahran 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. Dhahran costs $1,303 versus $1,305 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 Dhahran. 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.