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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in Najran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,666 in Najran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,280 in Najran, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Najran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Najran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Najran 21% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$7.95 SAR 29.84
47.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$22.98 SAR 86.2
81.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$8.89 SAR 33.35
17.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.62 SAR 6.08
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.36 SAR 5.11
-
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$4.44 SAR 16.67
-18.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$0.80 SAR 3.00
82.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$0.26 SAR 0.96
273.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$2.32 SAR 8.70
-38.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$1.01 SAR 3.80
88.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$2.39 SAR 8.97
-34.31%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$2.14 SAR 8.03
23.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$7.07 SAR 26.51
19.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$5.81 SAR 21.82
47.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$14.43 SAR 54.1
-23.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$1.75 SAR 6.55
54.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$1.97 SAR 7.39
-23.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$1.67 SAR 6.26
14.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$1.55 SAR 5.83
40.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$1.23 SAR 4.62
52.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$1.33 SAR 4.98
67.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$1.36 SAR 5.09
-20.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$0.69 SAR 2.58
55.07%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.86 SAR 10.72
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62 SAR 6.09
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.09 SAR 7.84
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$8.20 SAR 30.76
-49.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$1.10 SAR 4.13
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$39.67 SAR 149
-33.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$2.59 SAR 9.72
23.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$1.90 SAR 7.13
29.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$13.56 SAR 50.9
-76.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$0.58 SAR 2.17
127.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$26.4K SAR 99.2K
14.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$22.6K SAR 84.6K
3.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$106 SAR 397
-23.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$33.24 SAR 125
-32.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$71.7 SAR 269
-58.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$86.5 SAR 325
-40.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$35.06 SAR 132
-47.55%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$15.45 SAR 58.0
-66.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$348 SAR 1,305
-42.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$6,849 SAR 25.7K
-22.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$59.0 SAR 221
-39.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$60.0 SAR 225
-32.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$78.8 SAR 296
-0.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$81.7 SAR 307
6.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$345 SAR 1,294
175.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$198 SAR 742
141.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$594 SAR 2,231
172.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$430 SAR 1,612
184.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$2,324 SAR 8,720
72.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$1,357 SAR 5,093
376.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
$1,757 SAR 6,592
-61.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.42
158.37%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Najran: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 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 161% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Najran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $200 – 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
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Najran?
Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Najran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Najran?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,578 in Najran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Najran?
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.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Najran?
Public transport costs about 51% less in Najran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Najran?
Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $348 in Najran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Najran?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Najran, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Najran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Najran?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Najran costs $1,052 versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Najran?
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.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Najran?
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.

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