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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.19 SAR 30.75

46.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$53.9 SAR 202

-22.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.97 SAR 29.91

34.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.98 SAR 14.93

-12.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.77 SAR 2.88

88.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.31 SAR 1.17

183.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.33 SAR 4.98

38.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-33.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-14.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-26.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.32 SAR 8.73

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.88 SAR 7.06

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.59 SAR 5.96

31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.25 SAR 4.68

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.46 SAR 5.49

48.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 SAR 1.94

105.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-44.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-52.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$36.88 SAR 138

-29.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.22 SAR 12.09

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.84 SAR 6.93

30.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-75.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.64 SAR 2.39

106.25%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-15.36%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

0.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$106 SAR 398

-22.54%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.14 SAR 132

-34.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$76.9 SAR 289

-60.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$106 SAR 399

-51.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$59.9 SAR 225

-69.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-69.30%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$465 SAR 1,747

-57.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-44.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$58.3 SAR 219

-38.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$65.1 SAR 244

-38.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$110 SAR 413

-28.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$101 SAR 378

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$843 SAR 3,164

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,026 SAR 7,607

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,127 SAR 4,233

7.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,938 SAR 7,279

233.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-67.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.31

115.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,110 in Riyadh. 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 209% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $225 in Riyadh – so Riyadh 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,637 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,758 in Riyadh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Riyadh at $1,758. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.