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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $994 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,525 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,056 in Yanbu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Yanbu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yanbu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Yanbu 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.51 SAR 24.44

80.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$37.99 SAR 143

10.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.51 SAR 24.46

61.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.59 SAR 13.49

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.75 SAR 2.83

101.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.23 SAR 0.86

300.00%

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

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-16.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.87 SAR 3.28

116.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-30.36%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.04 SAR 22.68

37.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.76 SAR 29.14

7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.21 SAR 45.86

-11.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.07 SAR 7.77

30.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.38 SAR 5.19

35.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.54 SAR 5.80

42.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.28 SAR 4.79

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.96 SAR 3.59

132.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 SAR 2.09

94.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.47 SAR 24.30

-35.24%

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

$33.24 SAR 125

-21.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.78 SAR 2.94

207.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$15.10 SAR 56.7

-79.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.62 SAR 2.31

111.29%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

13.87%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

8.08%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$105 SAR 396

-22.94%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$22.77 SAR 85.5

-0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$69.1 SAR 259

-56.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$95.9 SAR 360

-44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.52 SAR 133

-48.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.30 SAR 49.95

-63.01%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$323 SAR 1,214

-37.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$22.81 SAR 85.6

57.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$21.00 SAR 78.9

91.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$66.3 SAR 249

20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$47.66 SAR 179

81.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$314 SAR 1,177

211.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$244 SAR 915

93.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$585 SAR 2,198

182.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$412 SAR 1,546

192.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

-80.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.3

246.06%

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 Yanbu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Yanbu. 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 415% higher in Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $189 – making Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,490 in Yanbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yanbu, 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 $994 in Yanbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Yanbu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yanbu, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Yanbu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yanbu – 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 Yanbu. 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.