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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,044 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,426 in Khafji.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 97% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khafji 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.23 SAR 12.12

270.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$34.81 SAR 131

36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.20 SAR 19.53

125.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.96 SAR 11.12

39.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.77 SAR 2.90

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.19 SAR 0.73

378.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.80 SAR 6.75

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.33 SAR 4.98

61.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.89 SAR 7.09

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.20 SAR 8.27

28.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.28 SAR 27.35

26.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.93 SAR 29.79

16.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.91 SAR 48.47

-2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.23 SAR 8.37

32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.63 SAR 6.13

36.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.61 SAR 6.04

46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.12 SAR 4.22

77.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.15 SAR 4.33

72.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 SAR 2.14

112.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.05 SAR 15.21

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.78 SAR 29.23

-40.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.72 SAR 10.20

92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.62 SAR 9.83

39.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$13.25 SAR 49.76

-56.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.61 SAR 2.29

152.46%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$66.2K SAR 248.5K

-65.54%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

19.95%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$131 SAR 490

-30.52%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$32.66 SAR 123

-22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$62.7 SAR 236

-49.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.20 SAR 49.58

-63.18%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$135 SAR 508

66.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,942 SAR 14.8K

6.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$42.63 SAR 160

11.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$49.91 SAR 187

-12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$98.1 SAR 368

-18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$91.2 SAR 343

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$678 SAR 2,546

60.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.9

94.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Khafji: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $678 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Khafji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $201 per month, with Khafji 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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $992 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $678 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $135 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Khafji – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Khafji versus $1,305 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 97% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.