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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,073 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,678 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,283 in Jubail.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 18% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Jubail 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.76 SAR 25.40

71.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$39.39 SAR 148

19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.01 SAR 33.82

31.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.95 SAR 14.84

0.76%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.93 SAR 3.49

53.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 SAR 1.06

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.50 SAR 5.64

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.39 SAR 5.22

58.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.10 SAR 7.88

30.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.77 SAR 32.93

9.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.32 SAR 23.73

42.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.96 SAR 41.18

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.25 SAR 8.45

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.51 SAR 5.68

42.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.69 SAR 6.36

33.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.23 SAR 4.63

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.33 SAR 5.01

49.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.55 SAR 2.07

118.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.74 SAR 25.33

-32.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-54.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$23.79 SAR 89.4

21.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.40 SAR 12.76

58.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.66 SAR 9.99

40.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$13.12 SAR 49.27

-56.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.65 SAR 2.44

136.92%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$44.6K SAR 167.5K

-49.44%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

23.57%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$79.9 SAR 300

14.41%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$28.01 SAR 105

-10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.4 SAR 253

-53.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$100 SAR 376

-32.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$39.60 SAR 149

-26.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$13.20 SAR 49.56

-63.18%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$177 SAR 664

26.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,661 SAR 28.8K

-44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$42.67 SAR 160

10.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$59.6 SAR 224

-25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$80.9 SAR 304

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$85.6 SAR 321

8.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$437 SAR 1,642

143.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$301 SAR 1,132

29.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$647 SAR 2,430

232.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$532 SAR 1,998

139.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,775 SAR 10.4K

44.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,366 SAR 5,131

375.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,606 SAR 6,033

-52.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.62

103.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jubail: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $437 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $191 per month, with Jubail cheaper across the board.

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Jubail. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,073 in Jubail – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,073 in Jubail versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,073 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jubail are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.