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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,186 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,822 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,457 in Khafji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than 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

$11.67 MX$202

$3.12 SAR 11.71

274.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$53.6 SAR 201

-21.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.95 SAR 18.57

110.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.86 SAR 10.71

26.22%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.84 SAR 3.14

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.38 SAR 1.42

139.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.39 SAR 5.22

32.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-24.06%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.21 SAR 8.28

16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.09 SAR 22.83

39.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.42 SAR 27.81

14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$9.86 SAR 36.99

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.20 SAR 8.26

24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.55 SAR 5.80

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.43 SAR 5.38

37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.65 SAR 6.20

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.28 SAR 4.81

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.34 SAR 5.04

61.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-18.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.55 SAR 2.06

90.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$7.81 SAR 29.30

-46.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$40.63 SAR 152

-35.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.27 SAR 12.28

-5.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.85 SAR 6.94

32.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$13.39 SAR 50.2

-75.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.60 SAR 2.25

110.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

31.75%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$21.1K SAR 79.0K

11.33%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$117 SAR 440

-28.46%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$38.81 SAR 146

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$63.5 SAR 238

-53.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$89.2 SAR 334

-40.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$35.37 SAR 133

-48.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$15.45 SAR 57.9

-67.96%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$134 SAR 501

48.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$3,949 SAR 14.8K

34.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$68.5 SAR 257

-47.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$67.3 SAR 253

-40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$90.3 SAR 339

-12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$85.9 SAR 322

0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$441 SAR 1,652

121.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$374 SAR 1,403

25.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$840 SAR 3,151

89.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$623 SAR 2,334

95.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,657 SAR 9,965

51.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,376 SAR 5,159

378.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Khafji: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $441 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $54 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $186, 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 $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $1,779 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $441 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,186 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 55% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,186 in Khafji versus $1,261 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.