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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,148 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,667 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,186 in Rabigh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Rabigh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rabigh are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rabigh 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.90 SAR 14.63

204.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.09 SAR 79.1

103.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.15 SAR 26.82

48.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.42 SAR 9.06

42.56%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.64 SAR 2.39

134.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.11 SAR 0.42

763.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.30 SAR 4.88

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.28 SAR 1.06

560.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-31.20%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.22 SAR 8.32

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.48 SAR 20.56

50.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.94 SAR 18.55

69.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.18 SAR 8.17

20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.60 SAR 6.00

-6.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.58 SAR 5.92

21.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.30 SAR 4.87

60.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.33 SAR 4.98

39.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.25 SAR 4.70

80.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 SAR 2.09

94.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.72 SAR 10.21

52.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$40.05 SAR 150

-32.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.82 SAR 6.84

37.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-79.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.59 SAR 2.23

115.25%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

12.18%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

6.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$107 SAR 402

-22.52%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$32.50 SAR 122

-30.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$69.0 SAR 259

-57.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$87.0 SAR 326

-41.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$35.38 SAR 133

-48.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-63.59%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$401 SAR 1,504

-50.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

-17.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$63.6 SAR 239

-41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$58.4 SAR 219

-31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$93.5 SAR 351

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$82.9 SAR 311

7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$282 SAR 1,059

238.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$382 SAR 1,434

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$523 SAR 1,962

214.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$620 SAR 2,326

97.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,005 SAR 7,525

95.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,394 SAR 5,231

363.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 in Rabigh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Rabigh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $164 – making Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,722 in Rabigh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rabigh, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,148 in Rabigh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Rabigh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rabigh, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Rabigh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabigh – 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 Rabigh. 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.