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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Najran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,826 in Najran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,468 in Najran, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Najran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Najran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Najran 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.10 SAR 30.42

43.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$36.98 SAR 139

27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.57 SAR 32.21

38.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.28 SAR 16.08

-7.01%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.78 SAR 2.92

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.30 SAR 1.11

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-35.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.16 SAR 4.36

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.14 SAR 8.03

-20.09%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.42 SAR 9.09

13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.44 SAR 27.95

28.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.08 SAR 22.83

48.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.38 SAR 54.0

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.07 SAR 7.79

39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.61 SAR 6.04

33.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.66 SAR 6.25

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.13 SAR 4.24

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.31 SAR 4.93

51.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.64 SAR 2.40

87.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.70 SAR 25.16

-32.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$36.42 SAR 137

-20.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.00 SAR 11.27

79.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.75 SAR 6.58

113.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.41 SAR 50.4

-56.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.50 SAR 1.86

208.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

-50.38%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

21.15%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$99.8 SAR 375

-8.41%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$32.08 SAR 120

-21.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$67.0 SAR 252

-53.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$83.9 SAR 315

-19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$37.65 SAR 141

-22.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-64.05%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$346 SAR 1,298

-35.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$6,731 SAR 25.3K

-37.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$50.0 SAR 188

-5.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$57.2 SAR 215

-22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$96.7 SAR 363

-17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$90.0 SAR 338

2.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$585 SAR 2,196

81.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$345 SAR 1,294

13.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$894 SAR 3,359

140.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$551 SAR 2,070

130.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,403 SAR 9,025

66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,387 SAR 5,209

368.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,703 SAR 6,398

-55.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.47

109.32%

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 Najran: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $585 in Najran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 125% higher in Najran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Najran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $206 – making Najran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Najran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Najran, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,776 in Najran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Najran, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Najran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $346 in Najran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Najran, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Najran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Najran costs $1,184 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Najran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.