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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,121 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,674 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,228 in Rabigh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% 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 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.04 SAR 15.17

190.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.35 SAR 80.2

96.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.26 SAR 27.25

44.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.90

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.42 SAR 9.08

48.35%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.66 SAR 2.47

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.13 SAR 0.49

607.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.35 SAR 5.07

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.26 SAR 0.98

623.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-31.88%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.20 SAR 8.25

18.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.23 SAR 19.64

59.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.71 SAR 17.69

77.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.71 SAR 47.74

-14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.12 SAR 7.96

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.57 SAR 5.88

19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.35 SAR 5.07

62.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.33 SAR 4.98

39.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.26 SAR 4.74

76.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.07 SAR 4.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 SAR 2.23

84.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.49

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.63 SAR 9.86

59.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.83 SAR 150

-34.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.23 SAR 12.11

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.84 SAR 6.91

30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-79.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.63 SAR 2.35

107.94%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

10.86%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

8.98%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$107 SAR 403

-24.22%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$31.87 SAR 120

-29.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$70.1 SAR 263

-57.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$86.6 SAR 325

-38.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.88 SAR 135

-48.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-63.26%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$402 SAR 1,509

-50.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

-19.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$64.7 SAR 243

-44.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$57.9 SAR 217

-30.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$94.2 SAR 354

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$85.1 SAR 319

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$284 SAR 1,065

244.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$387 SAR 1,453

21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$523 SAR 1,965

215.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$622 SAR 2,335

93.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

47.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,488 SAR 5,586

344.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $284 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Rabigh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $163 – 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 12%, 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 $1,681 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,121 in Rabigh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $1,121, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.