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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,995 in Saar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,793 in Saar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,590 in Saar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Saar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Saar is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.47 BHD 3.95

12.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$32.54 BHD 12.27

27.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.40 BHD 3.92

2.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.81 BHD 2.19

-39.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.96 BHD 0.36

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.44 BHD 0.17

120.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$6.09 BHD 2.30

-51.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$9.04 BHD 3.41

-50.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.67 BHD 0.63

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.31 BHD 0.50

44.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.63 BHD 0.99

-37.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.60 BHD 0.98

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.16 BHD 4.96

-36.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.60 BHD 2.49

26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.79 BHD 5.95

-32.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.88 BHD 1.46

-32.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-38.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.60 BHD 1.36

-47.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.93 BHD 0.73

7.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.69 BHD 0.26

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.68 BHD 0.63

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$26.54 BHD 10.01

-61.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$5.28 BHD 1.99

-38.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$135 BHD 50.8

-38.43%

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

$22.22 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$32.34 BHD 12.19

-9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$189 BHD 71.2

-72.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$108 BHD 40.75

-83.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$20.97 BHD 7.90

-75.82%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$553 BHD 209

-63.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$7,994 BHD 3,014

-34.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$91.6 BHD 34.52

-59.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$39.16 BHD 14.76

1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$107 BHD 40.37

-26.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$106 BHD 39.82

-17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,309 BHD 494

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$944 BHD 356

-50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,131 BHD 804

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,171 BHD 441

4.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,216 BHD 835

193.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,428 BHD 915

-72.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,309 in Saar. 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 266% higher in Saar, 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 $33.00 in Saar. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $287 in Saar – so Playa del Carmen 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 Saar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saar is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,992 in Saar. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,995 in Saar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $553 in Saar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Saar at $1,995. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saar 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, Saar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.