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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,703 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,243 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 4% lower, Rabigh 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.10 SAR 15.36

191.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$20.94 SAR 78.5

104.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.16 SAR 26.84

47.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.47 SAR 9.26

46.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.69 SAR 2.57

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.12 SAR 0.46

683.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.37 SAR 5.13

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.28 SAR 1.06

571.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.31 SAR 8.65

-29.44%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.21 SAR 8.29

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.49 SAR 20.57

49.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.83 SAR 18.11

71.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$12.63 SAR 47.36

-12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.16 SAR 8.12

22.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.58 SAR 5.91

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.62 SAR 6.08

22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.30 SAR 4.88

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.32 SAR 4.96

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.24 SAR 4.65

75.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.06 SAR 3.96

1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 SAR 2.23

73.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SAR 9.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.60 SAR 9.75

52.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$39.46 SAR 148

-31.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.19 SAR 11.96

-1.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.90 SAR 7.12

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$15.28 SAR 57.3

-79.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.63 SAR 2.37

101.59%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

16.85%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.7K SAR 81.3K

7.52%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$104 SAR 392

-21.45%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$31.74 SAR 119

-29.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$69.4 SAR 260

-57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$89.3 SAR 335

-41.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$35.21 SAR 132

-46.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.26 SAR 49.72

-62.52%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$408 SAR 1,531

-51.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,568 SAR 24.6K

-19.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$63.9 SAR 240

-43.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$57.7 SAR 216

-30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$95.2 SAR 357

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$82.3 SAR 309

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$278 SAR 1,041

246.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$383 SAR 1,437

21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$531 SAR 1,990

200.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$626 SAR 2,347

93.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,387 SAR 8,952

65.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,325 SAR 4,969

386.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $278 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: $251 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,745 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Rabigh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% 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 $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.