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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mecca 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.88 SAR 18.32

145.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$40.07 SAR 150

4.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.21 SAR 34.60

16.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.19 SAR 11.98

9.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.91 SAR 3.41

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.29 SAR 1.08

203.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.89 SAR 3.34

106.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-30.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.92 SAR 25.99

19.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-21.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.31 SAR 8.67

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.87 SAR 7.02

4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.03 SAR 7.63

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.20 SAR 4.49

54.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.22 SAR 4.57

77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.66 SAR 2.46

62.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-48.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-62.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$39.83 SAR 150

-34.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.35 SAR 8.83

37.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.83 SAR 6.87

31.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.56 SAR 39.64

-69.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.59 SAR 2.22

123.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

12.87%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

13.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$77.1 SAR 289

6.42%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.21 SAR 132

-34.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$67.3 SAR 253

-55.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$84.8 SAR 318

-38.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$34.89 SAR 131

-46.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-73.34%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$399 SAR 1,500

-50.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

15.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$22.32 SAR 83.8

59.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$63.5 SAR 239

-36.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$59.2 SAR 222

32.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$51.3 SAR 192

73.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$226 SAR 849

318.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$290 SAR 1,090

63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$686 SAR 2,576

139.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,041 SAR 3,909

16.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-36.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,305 SAR 8,656

180.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,089 SAR 4,088

-39.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 66% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $208 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Mecca. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.