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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,150 in Taif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,631 in Taif, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,113 in Taif, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Taif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taif are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Taif 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.63 SAR 17.39

150.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$37.25 SAR 140

26.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.87 SAR 25.79

72.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.96 SAR 11.13

34.46%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.69 SAR 2.57

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.21 SAR 0.79

290.48%

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

$1.45 SAR 5.46

15.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.28 SAR 1.06

685.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-28.45%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.53 SAR 9.51

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$7.29 SAR 27.38

31.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.27 SAR 23.55

43.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.58 SAR 39.73

21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.21 SAR 8.30

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.79 SAR 6.73

20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.83 SAR 6.88

23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.52 SAR 5.72

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.72 SAR 6.45

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.83 SAR 3.14

48.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.96 SAR 3.59

25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.38

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$6.85 SAR 25.72

-33.58%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$35.56 SAR 134

-19.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.31 SAR 4.92

311.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.70 SAR 10.16

38.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-57.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.61 SAR 2.29

152.46%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$44.9K SAR 168.6K

-49.78%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$19.0K SAR 71.3K

37.24%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$110 SAR 412

-16.62%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$27.79 SAR 104

-9.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$85.5 SAR 321

-63.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$122 SAR 459

-45.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$30.23 SAR 114

-3.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$17.24 SAR 64.8

-71.81%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$244 SAR 918

-8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,487 SAR 16.9K

-5.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$20.26 SAR 76.1

132.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$56.8 SAR 213

-22.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$94.7 SAR 355

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$46.33 SAR 174

100.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,250 SAR 4,693

-14.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$340 SAR 1,279

14.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$869 SAR 3,264

147.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$336 SAR 1,262

278.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,386 SAR 8,959

67.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,366 SAR 5,131

375.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,790 SAR 6,723

-57.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.6

218.06%

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 Taif: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,250 in Taif. 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 136% higher in Taif, 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 Taif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $183 – making Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,725 in Taif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taif, 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 $1,150 in Taif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Taif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taif – 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 Taif. 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.