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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,137 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,769 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,400 in Sakakah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Sakakah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.76 SAR 21.64

101.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$37.38 SAR 140

26.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.12 SAR 30.50

46.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.53 SAR 13.25

12.75%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.70 SAR 2.64

104.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.31 SAR 1.18

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.11 SAR 4.16

98.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.21 SAR 8.32

-22.62%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.35 SAR 8.83

16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.58 SAR 28.47

26.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.88 SAR 29.59

14.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.71 SAR 47.75

0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.19 SAR 8.23

31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.60 SAR 6.02

34.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.68 SAR 6.32

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.13 SAR 4.23

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.32 SAR 4.96

50.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.14 SAR 4.30

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.56 SAR 2.10

114.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.39

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.53 SAR 24.54

-30.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$35.35 SAR 133

-18.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.96 SAR 11.10

82.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.78 SAR 6.68

109.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$13.12 SAR 49.28

-56.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.62 SAR 2.34

148.39%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

-50.34%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

22.83%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$102 SAR 383

-10.50%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$32.65 SAR 123

-22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$66.4 SAR 249

-52.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$83.6 SAR 314

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$36.48 SAR 137

-20.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-63.92%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$343 SAR 1,286

-34.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,627 SAR 24.9K

-36.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$50.6 SAR 190

-6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$58.3 SAR 219

-24.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$96.8 SAR 364

-17.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$90.3 SAR 339

2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$586 SAR 2,201

81.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$340 SAR 1,276

14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$867 SAR 3,257

147.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$541 SAR 2,034

134.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,314 SAR 8,693

72.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,398 SAR 5,249

365.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$934 SAR 3,508

-18.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.47

109.32%

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 Sakakah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 in Sakakah. 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 23% higher in Sakakah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Sakakah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $200 – making Sakakah 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 Sakakah: 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,705 in Sakakah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakakah, 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 $1,137 in Sakakah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Sakakah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sakakah, where all-in costs run around $1,137, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sakakah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakakah – 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 Sakakah. 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.