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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,076 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,745 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,415 in Rabigh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Rabigh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rabigh are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Rabigh 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.84 SAR 25.69

69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$52.5 SAR 197

-10.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.47 SAR 31.81

40.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.70 SAR 13.91

7.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.01 SAR 3.81

41.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.24 SAR 0.89

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.28 SAR 4.80

71.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-27.54%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.37 SAR 8.90

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.37 SAR 23.94

50.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.11 SAR 30.46

11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.89 SAR 48.42

-0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.09 SAR 7.84

38.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.56 SAR 5.85

37.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.68 SAR 6.32

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.13 SAR 4.25

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.28 SAR 4.82

55.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.11 SAR 4.18

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.53 SAR 1.99

126.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 16.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.75 SAR 25.36

-32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-44.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$35.79 SAR 134

-19.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.27 SAR 12.27

64.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.75 SAR 6.57

113.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.66 SAR 51.3

-57.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.64 SAR 2.39

140.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$47.5K SAR 178.4K

-52.52%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

22.05%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$101 SAR 381

-9.84%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$38.20 SAR 143

-34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$66.7 SAR 250

-53.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$79.2 SAR 298

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$37.44 SAR 141

-22.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$12.03 SAR 45.20

-59.60%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$746 SAR 2,800

-70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$16.2K SAR 60.8K

-73.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$69.3 SAR 260

-32.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$61.2 SAR 230

-27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$97.9 SAR 368

-18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$96.7 SAR 363

-4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$331 SAR 1,244

220.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$235 SAR 884

65.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$616 SAR 2,313

249.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$431 SAR 1,618

195.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,648 SAR 9,946

51.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,312 SAR 4,928

395.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.39

112.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $331 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in Rabigh. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $199 in Rabigh – so Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,614 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,076 in Rabigh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $1,076, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.