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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,087 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,707 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,328 in Qatif, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qatif are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Qatif 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.44 SAR 12.94

240.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$47.42 SAR 178

-11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.05 SAR 30.22

30.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$3.66 SAR 13.73

-1.91%

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

$1.51 MX$26.14

$0.77 SAR 2.91

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.26 SAR 0.97

253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$0.81 SAR 3.04

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-23.15%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.21

$2.32 SAR 8.73

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.03 SAR 22.64

37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.38 SAR 27.72

13.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.67 SAR 36.30

12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$2.12 SAR 7.95

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$1.48 SAR 5.56

2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$1.44 SAR 5.42

29.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.95

$0.75 SAR 2.83

192.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.19

$1.26 SAR 4.74

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.65

$1.35 SAR 5.05

65.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.55 SAR 2.08

98.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-45.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.26 SAR 147

-33.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.12 SAR 11.72

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.67

$1.63 SAR 6.13

47.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-76.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.65 SAR 2.43

101.54%

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

$29.8K MX$516.5K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

32.07%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

18.66%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$104 SAR 392

-22.06%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$37.20 SAR 140

-39.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$59.6 SAR 224

-49.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$94.2 SAR 354

-43.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$56.9 SAR 214

-67.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.3

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-67.97%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$405 SAR 1,521

-50.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

-36.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$51.3 SAR 192

-29.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$50.9 SAR 191

-21.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$91.5 SAR 343

-12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$85.8 SAR 322

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$360 SAR 1,351

171.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,153

$281 SAR 1,054

67.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$717 SAR 2,693

130.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$486 SAR 1,826

147.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$949 SAR 3,563

316.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$796 SAR 2,990

729.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,248 SAR 8,440

-69.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.33

163.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $360 in Qatif. 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 232% higher in Qatif, 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 $47.00 in Qatif. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $173 in Qatif – so Qatif wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,630 in Qatif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,087 in Qatif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Qatif. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Qatif. 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.