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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,050 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,251 in Jubail.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 23% more expensive than Jubail, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Jubail 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$6.48 SAR 24.31

84.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$40.19 SAR 151

6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.29 SAR 34.84

13.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.39 SAR 12.71

6.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.83 SAR 3.10

77.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.26 SAR 0.97

261.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.98 SAR 3.68

91.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.63 SAR 6.11

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.52 SAR 9.44

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.20 SAR 30.76

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.89 SAR 25.85

20.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.19 SAR 41.96

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.32 SAR 8.72

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.58 SAR 5.91

25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.43 SAR 5.37

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.12 SAR 4.20

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.30 SAR 4.86

67.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.64 SAR 2.39

62.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.02 SAR 26.33

-43.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$25.13 SAR 94.2

7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$4.08 SAR 15.32

-23.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.85 SAR 6.94

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$17.01 SAR 63.8

-81.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.63 SAR 2.37

101.59%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

52.55%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

-3.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$98.8 SAR 371

-17.00%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$31.97 SAR 120

-29.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$65.1 SAR 244

-54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$88.0 SAR 330

-41.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$35.90 SAR 135

-47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.89 SAR 52.1

-64.22%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$202 SAR 759

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

-37.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$38.63 SAR 145

-5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$62.2 SAR 233

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$83.4 SAR 313

-4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$79.4 SAR 298

12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$403 SAR 1,513

138.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$277 SAR 1,039

67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$655 SAR 2,456

143.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$505 SAR 1,892

139.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,522 SAR 9,458

56.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,316 SAR 4,934

390.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,602 SAR 6,008

-55.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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 23% 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, Jubail earns 122% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $403 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,050 in Jubail – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,287 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 $1,050 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 23% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.