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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,197 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,662 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,128 in Sakakah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sakakah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.02 SAR 22.58

97.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$44.16 SAR 166

-2.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.81 SAR 29.31

36.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 SAR 7.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.55 SAR 13.33

-2.82%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.64 SAR 2.40

134.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.34 SAR 1.28

179.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.66 SAR 6.21

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.01 SAR 3.80

83.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-32.92%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.45 SAR 9.19

5.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.68 SAR 25.08

23.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.55 SAR 28.33

10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.22 SAR 49.59

-19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.17 SAR 8.15

21.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.74 SAR 6.53

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.56 SAR 5.84

33.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.28 SAR 4.80

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.28 SAR 4.79

76.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.55 SAR 2.07

98.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.81 SAR 25.55

-39.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-50.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$39.20 SAR 147

-31.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.67 SAR 10.03

17.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.92 SAR 7.19

30.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$13.16 SAR 49.39

-76.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.57 SAR 2.15

122.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

13.88%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

4.80%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$105 SAR 393

-20.84%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$33.95 SAR 127

-33.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$72.6 SAR 272

-59.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$59.7 SAR 224

-14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$34.94 SAR 131

-47.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-68.78%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$355 SAR 1,332

-44.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,103 SAR 26.7K

-25.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$58.7 SAR 220

-37.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$60.3 SAR 226

-33.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$78.0 SAR 293

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$82.3 SAR 309

8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$222 SAR 835

329.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$377 SAR 1,414

26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$342 SAR 1,285

380.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$310 SAR 1,163

295.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,343 SAR 8,794

67.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,358 SAR 5,097

375.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$931 SAR 3,495

-28.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $222 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 40% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Sakakah. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 in Sakakah – so Sakakah 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,795 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,197 in Sakakah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% 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 $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.