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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,101 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,694 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,286 in Unaizah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Unaizah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.62 SAR 24.85

75.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$39.80 SAR 149

18.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.98 SAR 26.23

70.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.99 SAR 14.99

-0.25%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.74 SAR 2.77

93.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 SAR 1.06

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.47 SAR 5.54

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.31 SAR 1.17

609.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.14 SAR 8.03

-20.09%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.40 SAR 9.02

14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.92 SAR 22.23

61.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.60 SAR 17.26

95.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.73 SAR 47.81

0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.15 SAR 8.08

34.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.58 SAR 5.95

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.54 SAR 5.80

39.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.68 SAR 6.33

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.18 SAR 4.44

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.14 SAR 4.27

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.64 SAR 2.42

87.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.84 SAR 10.66

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.56 SAR 24.63

-30.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$36.06 SAR 135

-20.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.86 SAR 10.72

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.81 SAR 6.80

106.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-57.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.64 SAR 2.42

140.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

-51.34%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

21.00%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$99.6 SAR 374

-8.25%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$31.98 SAR 120

-21.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$68.1 SAR 256

-54.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$53.8 SAR 202

24.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$36.87 SAR 139

-21.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$13.10 SAR 49.22

-62.90%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$347 SAR 1,303

-35.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

-36.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$50.7 SAR 190

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$59.1 SAR 222

-25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$96.8 SAR 364

-17.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$89.2 SAR 335

3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$576 SAR 2,163

84.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$339 SAR 1,275

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$893 SAR 3,353

140.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$556 SAR 2,087

128.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,401 SAR 9,020

66.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,380 SAR 5,182

371.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,517 SAR 9,453

-69.87%

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 Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $576 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 232% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Unaizah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $171 – 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 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,652 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,101 in Unaizah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 25% 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 $1,101, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.