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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,184 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,816 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,449 in Khafji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Khafji 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$3.29 SAR 12.35

263.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$54.2 SAR 203

-22.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$5.21 SAR 19.53

100.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$3.01 SAR 11.29

16.61%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$0.85 SAR 3.20

78.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.37 SAR 1.39

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-16.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$1.46 SAR 5.48

25.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-22.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$2.19 SAR 8.23

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$6.23 SAR 23.36

37.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$7.17 SAR 26.92

18.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$9.87 SAR 37.02

9.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$2.12 SAR 7.94

29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$1.54 SAR 5.77

-6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$1.46 SAR 5.48

29.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$1.59 SAR 5.95

36.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$1.22 SAR 4.58

45.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$1.34 SAR 5.01

65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$1.35 SAR 5.08

-20.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$0.55 SAR 2.07

96.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 15.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 SAR 7.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$8.06 SAR 30.23

-48.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$39.42 SAR 148

-34.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$3.40 SAR 12.75

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$1.85 SAR 6.94

35.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-76.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$0.63 SAR 2.38

100.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

32.15%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

11.52%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$118 SAR 442

-30.37%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$38.00 SAR 143

-40.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$63.3 SAR 238

-53.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

$86.2 SAR 323

-39.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$35.90 SAR 135

-48.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$15.50 SAR 58.2

-68.19%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$134 SAR 502

50.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$4,072 SAR 15.3K

28.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$67.3 SAR 253

-46.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$67.7 SAR 254

-40.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$93.2 SAR 350

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$84.0 SAR 315

6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$444 SAR 1,665

113.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

$382 SAR 1,432

21.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$845 SAR 3,170

92.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$633 SAR 2,374

88.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.33

163.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Khafji: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $444 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $185, with Khafji cheaper for home cooking.

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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $1,775 in Khafji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $444 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,184 in Khafji – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khafji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Khafji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.