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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dhahran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dhahran 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.23 SAR 19.64

124.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$40.50 SAR 152

2.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.14 SAR 26.78

49.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.77 SAR 14.14

-6.63%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.74 SAR 2.78

104.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.17 SAR 0.63

470.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.49 SAR 5.60

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.17 SAR 4.39

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-24.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.39 SAR 8.98

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.83 SAR 25.62

22.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.84 SAR 33.18

-5.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.24 SAR 8.41

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.38 SAR 5.20

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.63 SAR 6.11

16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.37 SAR 5.13

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.23 SAR 4.63

44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.89 SAR 3.34

146.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 SAR 2.15

89.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-57.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.72 SAR 153

-35.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.35 SAR 5.08

141.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.45 SAR 9.18

1.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-75.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.65 SAR 2.43

101.54%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

-6.68%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-3.46%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$104 SAR 391

-20.42%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$36.18 SAR 136

-38.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$73.6 SAR 276

-60.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$183 SAR 688

-71.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$36.00 SAR 135

-49.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.90 SAR 44.66

-57.39%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$414 SAR 1,553

-51.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

-47.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.4 SAR 223

-37.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$76.7 SAR 288

-48.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$84.4 SAR 317

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$97.8 SAR 367

-10.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$439 SAR 1,648

121.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$383 SAR 1,436

22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$836 SAR 3,138

96.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$615 SAR 2,308

98.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

255.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,066 SAR 3,999

509.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-77.05%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 336% higher in Dhahran, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $200 – 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

Dhahran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,998 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Dhahran at $1,332. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,332 in Dhahran. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.