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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,774 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,402 in Unaizah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Unaizah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$6.47 SAR 24.26

84.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$40.06 SAR 150

6.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.04 SAR 26.39

50.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.07 SAR 15.26

-11.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.72 SAR 2.72

104.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.28 SAR 1.06

235.71%

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

$1.50 SAR 5.61

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.29 SAR 1.08

548.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-27.88%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.42 SAR 9.06

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.05 SAR 22.69

35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.62 SAR 17.32

79.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.08 SAR 49.06

-15.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.27 SAR 8.52

16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.72 SAR 6.45

15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.29 SAR 4.84

38.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.68 SAR 2.55

52.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 SAR 11.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.84 SAR 25.64

-41.96%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$40.65 SAR 152

-33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.60 SAR 9.75

20.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.88 SAR 7.07

27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$13.53 SAR 50.7

-77.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.61 SAR 2.28

108.20%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

17.78%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

6.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$104 SAR 391

-21.36%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$33.59 SAR 126

-33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$71.8 SAR 269

-58.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$53.9 SAR 202

-3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$35.68 SAR 134

-47.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.43 SAR 57.9

-67.79%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$358 SAR 1,341

-44.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$60.1 SAR 225

-39.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$60.8 SAR 228

-34.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.6 SAR 295

1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$80.4 SAR 302

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$448 SAR 1,679

115.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$374 SAR 1,404

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$847 SAR 3,175

88.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$630 SAR 2,364

91.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,243 SAR 8,410

75.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,249 SAR 4,683

416.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,542 SAR 9,532

-71.66%

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 Unaizah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $448 in Unaizah. 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 253% higher in Unaizah, 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 $40.00 in Unaizah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $175 – making Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,719 in Unaizah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Unaizah, 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 $1,146 in Unaizah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Unaizah, where all-in costs run around $1,146, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Unaizah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Unaizah – 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 Unaizah. 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.