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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,000 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,512 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,023 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 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.59 SAR 24.73

80.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$37.96 SAR 142

13.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.49 SAR 24.34

64.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.74 SAR 14.05

-7.75%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.70 SAR 2.62

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 SAR 0.86

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.87 SAR 3.28

112.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.20 SAR 8.24

-26.82%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.64 SAR 9.90

-1.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.85 SAR 21.96

41.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.92 SAR 29.72

5.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.20 SAR 45.78

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.16 SAR 8.11

21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.46 SAR 5.46

31.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.54 SAR 5.80

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.26 SAR 4.71

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.97 SAR 3.62

132.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.55 SAR 2.08

98.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.24 SAR 23.41

-33.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$33.86 SAR 127

-20.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.26 SAR 12.23

-3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.78 SAR 2.92

221.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-79.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.57 SAR 2.14

122.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

17.24%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

7.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$106 SAR 398

-21.71%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$22.79 SAR 85.5

-0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$68.7 SAR 258

-57.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$97.5 SAR 366

-47.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$35.04 SAR 132

-47.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$13.12 SAR 49.23

-62.42%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$315 SAR 1,181

-37.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

40.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$23.07 SAR 86.6

59.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$20.91 SAR 78.5

90.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.3 SAR 249

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$48.58 SAR 182

84.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 SAR 1,185

202.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$244 SAR 914

95.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$606 SAR 2,274

171.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$410 SAR 1,539

198.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

-81.12%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 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 430% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Yanbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,500 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,000 in Yanbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% 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 $1,000, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.