Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Najran

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,238 in Najran, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Najran, Saudi Arabia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Najran
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,238
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Najran

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Najran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,238 in Najran, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Najran $1,238

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,887 in Najran, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Najran $1,887

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,536 in Najran, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Najran $2,536

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Najran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Playa del Carmen and Najran are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Najran 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$7.99 SAR 30.00
33.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$36.76 SAR 138
19.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$9.12 SAR 34.24
29.28%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.68 SAR 6.30
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.37 SAR 5.14
-
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$4.49 SAR 16.84
-15.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
$0.64 SAR 2.41
103.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$0.30 SAR 1.11
176.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$2.71 SAR 10.17
-47.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
$1.25 SAR 4.69
76.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
$2.28 SAR 8.55
-35.53%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.46
$2.41 SAR 9.06
3.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
$7.51 SAR 28.21
-2.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
$7.91 SAR 29.70
0.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
$12.77 SAR 47.91
0.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
$2.12 SAR 7.95
36.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
$1.67 SAR 6.26
-17.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.35
$1.62 SAR 6.09
53.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.77
$1.61 SAR 6.03
26.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.68
$1.24 SAR 4.64
62.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
$1.31 SAR 4.93
45.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
$1.19 SAR 4.48
-4.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.05
$0.54 SAR 2.01
129.63%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.00 SAR 11.25
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.82 SAR 6.83
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.02 SAR 7.59
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
$6.44 SAR 24.19
-33.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
$1.08 SAR 4.05
-52.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
$38.45 SAR 144
-28.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
$2.63 SAR 9.86
80.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
$1.94 SAR 7.27
67.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
$14.12 SAR 53.0
-61.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
$0.54 SAR 2.04
183.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
$30.9K SAR 115.9K
-31.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
$23.0K SAR 86.2K
1.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
$103 SAR 388
-19.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
$33.14 SAR 124
-30.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
$66.1 SAR 248
-58.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
$77.9 SAR 292
-27.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
$81.0 SAR 304
-65.20%
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
$13.22 SAR 49.63
-62.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
$454 SAR 1,703
-54.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.3K
$10.6K SAR 39.6K
-50.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
$42.90 SAR 161
1.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
$54.5 SAR 205
-22.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
$96.7 SAR 363
-24.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
$85.6 SAR 321
3.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$544 SAR 2,040
83.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
$390 SAR 1,463
-1.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
$937 SAR 3,518
78.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
$614 SAR 2,306
75.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
$1,949 SAR 7,314
100.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
$1,268 SAR 4,760
384.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Najran
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
$1,737 SAR 6,519
-52.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.54
106.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Najran: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Najran
$390 1.9% $7.3
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Najran
$211 17.9% $46
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Najran
$149 25.6% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Najran
$203 50.9% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Najran
$126 13.2% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Najran
$104 57% $38
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Najran
$55 9.2% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $544 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 in Najran are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $37 in Najran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $211 – making Najran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇦 Najran
🕒 Local time
22:11 10:11 PM
06:11 6:11 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
298,288
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.23 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Najran 13,220 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Najran

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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?
Najran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. 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 and in Najran?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,857 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $544 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Najran?
Public transport costs about 29% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Najran?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $454 in Najran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Najran?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,238 in Najran, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Najran?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,238 in Najran. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Najran?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Najran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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