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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,192 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,100 in Sakakah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sakakah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.98 SAR 22.41

99.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$45.23 SAR 170

-5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.98 SAR 29.92

32.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.62 SAR 13.57

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.65 SAR 2.43

126.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.34 SAR 1.28

176.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.96 SAR 3.58

95.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-28.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.50 SAR 9.38

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.82 SAR 25.59

20.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.51 SAR 28.18

10.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.00 SAR 48.76

-14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.18 SAR 8.18

21.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.60 SAR 5.98

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.67 SAR 6.27

19.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.61 SAR 6.04

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.30 SAR 4.87

37.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.33 SAR 4.99

63.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.18 SAR 4.43

-8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.54 SAR 2.03

92.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.21 SAR 27.03

-44.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-50.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$40.48 SAR 152

-33.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.62 SAR 9.84

19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.85 SAR 6.93

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$13.21 SAR 49.52

-76.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.58 SAR 2.16

118.97%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

17.25%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

3.62%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$107 SAR 401

-23.36%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$33.51 SAR 126

-33.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$71.6 SAR 268

-58.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$59.1 SAR 222

-12.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$36.11 SAR 135

-48.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.56 SAR 58.3

-68.06%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$352 SAR 1,320

-43.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,865 SAR 25.7K

-23.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.7 SAR 224

-39.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$61.3 SAR 230

-34.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.2 SAR 293

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$82.1 SAR 308

8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$223 SAR 835

332.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$383 SAR 1,437

21.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$341 SAR 1,278

368.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$300 SAR 1,126

302.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,346 SAR 8,796

68.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,535 SAR 5,755

320.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$928 SAR 3,480

-22.38%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $223 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 29% 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 $45.00 in Sakakah. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $196 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 8%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,787 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,192 in Sakakah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $1,192, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.