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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,472 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,965 in Mecca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 29% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mecca 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.55 SAR 17.08

154.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$27.00 SAR 101

74.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.94 SAR 26.07

71.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.62 SAR 9.83

51.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.72 SAR 2.70

98.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.23 SAR 0.86

256.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.01 SAR 3.80

117.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-25.33%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.42 SAR 9.09

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.45 SAR 24.23

48.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.03 SAR 30.17

12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.76 SAR 47.92

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.04 SAR 7.67

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.61 SAR 6.04

33.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.63 SAR 6.13

38.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.13 SAR 4.26

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.31 SAR 4.90

51.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.10 SAR 4.14

11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.50 SAR 1.86

140.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.71 SAR 25.20

-32.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-55.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.90 SAR 7.14

183.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.72 SAR 6.46

116.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-57.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.61 SAR 2.29

152.46%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$48.0K SAR 180.4K

-53.04%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

22.37%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$74.4 SAR 279

22.89%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$34.06 SAR 128

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.9 SAR 255

-53.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$77.4 SAR 291

-13.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$34.11 SAR 128

-14.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$12.06 SAR 45.31

-59.70%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$398 SAR 1,494

-43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,586 SAR 17.2K

-7.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$22.97 SAR 86.3

105.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$58.8 SAR 221

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$49.77 SAR 187

60.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$51.0 SAR 192

81.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$597 SAR 2,241

78.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$313 SAR 1,175

24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,531 SAR 5,749

40.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$514 SAR 1,931

147.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$6,400 SAR 24.0K

-37.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,281 SAR 8,568

185.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,093 SAR 4,107

-30.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.25

118.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $597 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $195 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, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $597 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in Mecca – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Mecca versus $1,266 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 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.