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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,027 in Saar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,835 in Saar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,643 in Saar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 38% cheaper than Saar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Saar is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.58 BHD 3.99

13.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$33.34 BHD 12.57

25.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.40 BHD 3.92

3.37%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.89 BHD 2.22

-40.58%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.91 BHD 0.34

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.45 BHD 0.17

95.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.93 BHD 2.24

-50.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$9.23 BHD 3.48

-51.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.73 BHD 0.65

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.32 BHD 0.50

39.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.58 BHD 0.97

-39.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.69 BHD 1.02

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.43 BHD 5.06

-38.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.45 BHD 2.43

30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.04 BHD 6.05

-33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.93 BHD 1.48

-33.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.36 BHD 0.89

-38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.74 BHD 1.41

-47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.93 BHD 0.73

8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.63 BHD 0.24

193.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.68 BHD 0.63

29.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$26.25 BHD 9.90

-61.26%

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

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$5.20 BHD 1.96

-37.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$132 BHD 49.67

-37.77%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.23 BHD 11.77

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$189 BHD 71.3

-72.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$108 BHD 40.61

-82.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$21.00 BHD 7.92

-76.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$551 BHD 208

-64.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,879 BHD 2,970

-32.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$92.9 BHD 35.01

-61.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.73 BHD 14.98

1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$104 BHD 39.26

-24.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$105 BHD 39.66

-15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,341 BHD 505

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$917 BHD 346

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,110 BHD 795

-22.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,192 BHD 449

1.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,188 BHD 825

195.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,377 BHD 896

-72.49%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,341 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 264% 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 $288 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 61%, 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 $3,041 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,027 in Saar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $551 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 $1,256, than in Saar at $2,027. 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.