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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,057 in Qatif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,683 in Qatif, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,308 in Qatif, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.41 SAR 12.78

243.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$48.84 SAR 183

-14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.03 SAR 30.13

29.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.57 SAR 13.40

1.12%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.76 SAR 2.87

92.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.26 SAR 0.97

273.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-16.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.83 SAR 3.11

128.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.11 SAR 7.93

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.23 SAR 8.35

18.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.30 SAR 23.63

33.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$7.33 SAR 27.52

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$10.15 SAR 38.08

8.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.09 SAR 7.83

29.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.48 SAR 5.57

2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.44 SAR 5.40

32.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.71 SAR 2.65

205.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.28 SAR 4.81

46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.38 SAR 5.18

61.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.51 SAR 1.91

109.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.84 SAR 29.43

-46.94%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-49.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$39.62 SAR 149

-33.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.15 SAR 11.84

1.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.56 SAR 5.85

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$13.37 SAR 50.2

-76.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.63 SAR 2.37

109.52%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

33.29%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$20.2K SAR 75.7K

15.95%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$106 SAR 396

-22.96%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$36.23 SAR 136

-38.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$59.2 SAR 222

-49.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$94.6 SAR 355

-45.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$57.5 SAR 216

-68.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$15.54 SAR 58.3

-66.80%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$401 SAR 1,505

-49.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,166 SAR 30.6K

-34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$51.6 SAR 194

-31.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$50.8 SAR 191

-20.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$90.1 SAR 338

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$86.8 SAR 326

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$356 SAR 1,336

166.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$285 SAR 1,070

67.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$703 SAR 2,639

130.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$495 SAR 1,856

147.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$970 SAR 3,639

313.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$795 SAR 2,983

714.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,237 SAR 8,396

-69.92%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Qatif: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $356 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 $49.00 in Qatif. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $175 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 22%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,586 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,057 in Qatif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 $1,057, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.