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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,038 in Yanbu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,626 in Yanbu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,214 in Yanbu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Yanbu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yanbu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Yanbu 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.51 SAR 24.47

78.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$37.19 SAR 140

26.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.85 SAR 25.73

73.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.57 SAR 13.40

11.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.79 SAR 2.97

81.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.20 SAR 0.77

310.00%

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

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.88 SAR 3.32

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-20.83%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.39 SAR 8.97

14.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.34 SAR 23.82

51.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.25 SAR 30.98

9.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.30 SAR 49.97

-3.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.09 SAR 7.86

38.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-12.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.51 SAR 5.67

42.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.67 SAR 6.29

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.17 SAR 4.38

69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.09 SAR 4.11

82.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.04 SAR 3.92

18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.53 SAR 2.00

126.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.72 SAR 25.24

-32.29%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$26.14 SAR 98.2

10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.21 SAR 12.07

67.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.78 SAR 2.93

378.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$13.61 SAR 51.1

-57.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.62 SAR 2.33

148.39%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

-51.42%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

21.49%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$102 SAR 384

-10.57%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$22.45 SAR 84.3

12.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.4 SAR 253

-53.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$95.1 SAR 357

-29.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$26.16 SAR 98.2

11.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.96 SAR 44.91

-59.36%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$266 SAR 998

-15.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

10.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$67.1 SAR 252

-29.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$60.9 SAR 229

-27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$97.9 SAR 368

-18.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$97.9 SAR 368

-5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$313 SAR 1,176

239.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$210 SAR 790

85.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$595 SAR 2,234

261.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$425 SAR 1,597

199.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

-78.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.39

112.43%

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 Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 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 358% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Yanbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $196 – 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 22%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,556 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,038 in Yanbu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $1,038, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.