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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,205 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,838 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,470 in Khafji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 5% more expensive than Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khafji 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$3.24 SAR 12.17

266.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$53.2 SAR 200

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$4.98 SAR 18.71

113.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.98 SAR 11.19

15.77%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.85 SAR 3.19

76.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.37 SAR 1.39

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.41 SAR 5.28

31.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.25 SAR 8.44

15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$6.06 SAR 22.74

36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$7.13 SAR 26.78

17.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$9.97 SAR 37.44

6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.16 SAR 8.12

21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.53 SAR 5.75

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.43 SAR 5.39

34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.59 SAR 5.97

31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.23 SAR 4.60

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.39 SAR 5.24

62.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.30 SAR 4.90

-18.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.55 SAR 2.06

98.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$8.14 SAR 30.57

-49.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$39.17 SAR 147

-31.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$3.36 SAR 12.62

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.82 SAR 6.84

37.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-76.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.63 SAR 2.38

101.59%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$23.0K SAR 86.4K

31.97%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$21.2K SAR 79.5K

11.28%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$115 SAR 433

-27.96%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$38.64 SAR 145

-41.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$62.6 SAR 235

-52.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$86.2 SAR 323

-40.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$36.34 SAR 136

-49.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$15.40 SAR 57.8

-67.99%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$131 SAR 492

50.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$4,039 SAR 15.2K

30.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$67.5 SAR 253

-45.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$68.2 SAR 256

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$93.4 SAR 351

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$86.4 SAR 324

3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$447 SAR 1,679

113.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$383 SAR 1,439

24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$847 SAR 3,180

94.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$619 SAR 2,323

97.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$2,256 SAR 8,471

73.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,363 SAR 5,116

374.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khafji: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $447 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $184, 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,808 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $447 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,205 in Khafji – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Khafji versus $1,271 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 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.