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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mecca 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.89 SAR 18.35

139.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$39.53 SAR 148

5.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.39 SAR 35.24

13.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.16 SAR 11.87

11.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.87 SAR 3.25

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.29 SAR 1.07

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.89 SAR 3.34

112.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-26.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.04 SAR 26.43

18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.31 SAR 8.69

12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.77 SAR 6.65

7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.04 SAR 7.66

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.26 SAR 4.73

41.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.24 SAR 4.67

76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.68 SAR 2.56

58.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-49.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-61.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$40.59 SAR 152

-34.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.44 SAR 9.14

33.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.83 SAR 6.89

36.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.59 SAR 39.75

-69.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.60 SAR 2.26

118.33%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

13.16%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

9.27%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$77.7 SAR 291

6.72%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$35.25 SAR 132

-36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$65.8 SAR 247

-55.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$87.6 SAR 329

-41.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$34.97 SAR 131

-47.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-72.73%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$404 SAR 1,518

-50.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

13.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$22.51 SAR 84.5

64.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$62.5 SAR 235

-36.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$58.8 SAR 221

33.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$51.1 SAR 192

70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$231 SAR 868

320.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$282 SAR 1,059

65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$669 SAR 2,510

145.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,026 SAR 3,851

18.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-39.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,238 SAR 8,400

190.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,075 SAR 4,035

-38.23%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 62% 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 $207 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mecca earns 62% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 22% 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 $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,297 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.