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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Jeddah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.54 SAR 24.53

79.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$40.72 SAR 153

2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.21 SAR 30.82

29.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.58 SAR 13.45

-1.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.70 SAR 2.64

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.25 SAR 0.94

288.00%

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$23.90

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.96 SAR 3.58

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-28.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.41 SAR 27.83

12.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.64 SAR 28.69

9.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$12.34 SAR 46.33

-13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.16 SAR 8.13

20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.55 SAR 5.82

22.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.54 SAR 5.78

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.32 SAR 4.94

34.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.21 SAR 4.54

80.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.60 SAR 2.23

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$6.76 SAR 25.37

-39.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$39.64 SAR 149

-33.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.23 SAR 12.13

0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.88 SAR 7.07

32.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-78.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.63 SAR 2.37

107.94%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

12.49%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

9.37%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$105 SAR 393

-20.94%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.31 SAR 121

-31.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$70.1 SAR 263

-58.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$90.9 SAR 341

-43.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$45.17 SAR 170

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$13.12 SAR 49.26

-61.36%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$400 SAR 1,500

-49.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

-18.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$64.6 SAR 242

-42.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$58.1 SAR 218

-31.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$92.5 SAR 347

-15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$84.4 SAR 317

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$501 SAR 1,881

94.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$390 SAR 1,464

19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$899 SAR 3,375

82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$618 SAR 2,321

97.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,625 SAR 6,100

142.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,014 SAR 3,805

540.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,657 SAR 6,219

-59.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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 Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $501 in Jeddah. 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 150% higher in Jeddah, 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 $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $196 – making Jeddah 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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 8% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,803 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $41.00 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,202 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Jeddah to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Jeddah. 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.