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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.51 SAR 24.46

84.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$39.65 SAR 149

5.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.80 SAR 29.29

37.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-7.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.70 SAR 2.64

107.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.25 SAR 0.94

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.94 SAR 3.53

95.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-29.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.42 SAR 27.86

11.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.77 SAR 29.19

8.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.38 SAR 46.50

-13.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.18 SAR 8.19

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.54 SAR 5.80

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.58 SAR 5.94

32.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.33 SAR 4.98

39.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.25 SAR 4.68

73.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.10 SAR 4.15

-6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.55 SAR 2.07

94.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.79 SAR 25.51

-39.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-60.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$39.89 SAR 150

-34.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.17 SAR 11.89

1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.85 SAR 6.94

30.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.60 SAR 2.24

120.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

12.38%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

11.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$108 SAR 406

-24.13%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$32.30 SAR 121

-28.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$69.6 SAR 261

-56.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$91.1 SAR 342

-42.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$45.14 SAR 170

-58.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.21 SAR 49.62

-62.30%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$407 SAR 1,527

-51.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

-16.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$62.7 SAR 235

-43.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$57.9 SAR 217

-30.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$94.9 SAR 356

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$83.8 SAR 315

6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$507 SAR 1,903

86.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$384 SAR 1,442

23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$904 SAR 3,395

81.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$601 SAR 2,256

101.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,646 SAR 6,179

146.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,015 SAR 3,812

537.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-60.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $507 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 154% 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 $40.00 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 3% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,827 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 $40.00 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,218 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 $1,218, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,218 in Jeddah to $1,256 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.