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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,244 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,453 in Tabuk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Tabuk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tabuk are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tabuk 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$7.55 SAR 28.33

53.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$32.11 SAR 121

46.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.70 SAR 28.92

54.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.13 SAR 11.76

27.16%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.72 SAR 2.72

98.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.26 SAR 0.97

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.92 SAR 3.46

139.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-36.90%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.82 SAR 10.60

-2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$12.47 SAR 46.83

-23.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.82 SAR 25.62

32.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$13.20 SAR 49.57

-2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.95 SAR 7.31

48.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.74 SAR 6.53

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.24 SAR 8.40

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.75 SAR 6.57

13.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-35.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.55 SAR 2.08

118.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$6.73 SAR 25.29

-32.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$35.75 SAR 134

-19.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$2.98 SAR 11.20

80.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.76 SAR 6.61

111.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$13.11 SAR 49.22

-55.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.66 SAR 2.49

133.33%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

-50.70%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

20.12%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$101 SAR 379

-9.41%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$36.18 SAR 136

-30.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$76.6 SAR 288

-59.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$84.8 SAR 319

-20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$37.50 SAR 141

-22.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$13.26 SAR 49.78

-63.35%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$351 SAR 1,316

-36.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

-49.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$50.7 SAR 190

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$57.1 SAR 214

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$95.7 SAR 359

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$87.0 SAR 327

6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$337 SAR 1,267

215.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$371 SAR 1,392

5.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$631 SAR 2,368

240.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$610 SAR 2,289

108.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,335 SAR 8,768

71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,399 SAR 5,254

364.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,697 SAR 6,372

-55.32%

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 Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 in Tabuk. 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 124% higher in Tabuk, 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 $32.00 in Tabuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $224 – making Tabuk 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,865 in Tabuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabuk, 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 $1,244 in Tabuk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Tabuk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tabuk, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tabuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tabuk – 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 Tabuk. 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.