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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,764 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,365 in Unaizah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Unaizah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.68 SAR 25.10

75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$40.60 SAR 152

3.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.15 SAR 26.86

46.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.18 SAR 15.70

-14.11%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.74 SAR 2.77

104.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.28 SAR 1.06

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.54 SAR 5.80

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.29 SAR 1.07

548.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.30 SAR 8.63

-32.17%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.53 SAR 9.50

3.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.09 SAR 22.87

36.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.70 SAR 17.66

77.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.79 SAR 48.03

-15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.25 SAR 8.43

20.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.56 SAR 5.86

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.74 SAR 6.52

7.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.60 SAR 6.02

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.28 SAR 4.79

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.23 SAR 4.62

-13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.66 SAR 2.47

65.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-38.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.78 SAR 149

-34.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.71 SAR 10.18

13.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.84 SAR 6.92

30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.08 SAR 49.10

-76.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.60 SAR 2.24

118.33%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

12.40%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

6.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$104 SAR 392

-22.21%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$33.13 SAR 124

-31.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$72.5 SAR 272

-58.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$53.3 SAR 200

-0.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.48 SAR 133

-48.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-68.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$354 SAR 1,329

-43.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

-25.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$61.1 SAR 229

-34.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$80.7 SAR 303

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$82.3 SAR 309

5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$448 SAR 1,681

118.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$380 SAR 1,426

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$840 SAR 3,156

96.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$622 SAR 2,337

93.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,481 SAR 9,315

59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,517 SAR 5,696

335.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,500 SAR 9,389

-72.94%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 270% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Unaizah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 8%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,745 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Unaizah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.