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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,348 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,016 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,685 in Tabuk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Tabuk is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.75 SAR 32.84

34.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.64 SAR 104

50.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.18 SAR 26.95

48.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.10 SAR 11.64

13.55%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.76 SAR 2.83

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.28 SAR 1.06

246.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.52 SAR 1.94

263.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-39.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.69 SAR 10.11

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.19 SAR 45.75

-31.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.68 SAR 25.06

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.95 SAR 48.61

-17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.98 SAR 7.45

31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.53 SAR 5.74

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.79 SAR 6.72

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.71 SAR 6.43

4.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.01 SAR 7.54

8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 SAR 2.13

89.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.50 SAR 28.14

-45.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-51.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$39.99 SAR 150

-33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.69 SAR 10.10

21.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.91 SAR 7.17

30.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.20 SAR 49.53

-75.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.61 SAR 2.30

114.75%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

14.54%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

3.41%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$160 SAR 602

-48.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$36.95 SAR 139

-39.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$106 SAR 399

-72.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$88.2 SAR 331

-41.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.71 SAR 134

-48.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$25.73 SAR 96.6

-80.30%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$355 SAR 1,334

-43.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

-38.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.5 SAR 223

-37.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$61.0 SAR 229

-34.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$79.7 SAR 299

-1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$82.7 SAR 310

5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$344 SAR 1,291

182.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$366 SAR 1,374

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$822 SAR 3,085

99.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$731 SAR 2,743

67.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

47.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,526 SAR 5,728

325.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,707 SAR 6,406

-61.10%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 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 157% higher in Tabuk, 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 $28.00 in Tabuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $215 – 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 – Tabuk is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,022 in Tabuk. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 in Tabuk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Tabuk at $1,348. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tabuk 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, Tabuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.