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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Qatif vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,707 per month in Qatif vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,328 per month in Qatif vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qatif is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qatif and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 SAR 12.94

$11.72 MX$203

-70.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.42 SAR 178

$41.89 MX$726

13.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$10.51 MX$182

-23.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.66 SAR 13.73

$3.59 MX$62.1

1.95%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$1.51 MX$26.14

-49.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.92 MX$15.86

-71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.40 MX$24.19

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$1.88 MX$32.65

-56.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.56 MX$27.01

30.13%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.61 MX$45.21

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 SAR 22.64

$8.32 MX$144

-27.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.72

$8.35 MX$145

-11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 SAR 36.30

$10.86 MX$188

-10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.71 MX$47.00

-21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.51 MX$26.08

-1.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.87 MX$32.46

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$2.19 MX$37.95

-65.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.86 MX$32.19

-32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$2.23 MX$38.65

-39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.07 MX$18.51

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$1.09 MX$18.82

-49.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 SAR 28.83

$4.19 MX$72.6

83.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.54 MX$9.39

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 SAR 147

$26.16 MX$453

50.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.72

$3.08 MX$53.3

1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.40 MX$41.67

-32.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.64

$3.13 MX$54.2

322.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.31 MX$22.72

-50.38%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

$29.8K MX$516.5K

-24.28%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

-15.73%

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

$104 SAR 392

$81.3 MX$1,408

28.31%

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

$37.20 SAR 140

$22.56 MX$391

64.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 SAR 224

$30.05 MX$521

98.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 SAR 354

$52.9 MX$917

78.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

$18.39 MX$319

209.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$4.92 MX$85.3

212.20%

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

$405 SAR 1,521

$201 MX$3,480

101.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

56.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SAR 192

$35.92 MX$622

42.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 SAR 191

$40.13 MX$695

26.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$79.7 MX$1,381

14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 SAR 322

$86.5 MX$1,498

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 SAR 1,351

$978 MX$16.9K

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,054

$470 MX$8,153

-40.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 SAR 2,693

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 SAR 1,826

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-59.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 SAR 3,563

$3,953 MX$68.5K

-76.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,990

$6,607 MX$114.5K

-87.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,248 SAR 8,440

$677 MX$11.7K

232.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

11.42

-62.08%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Qatif versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Qatif, 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 Qatif versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Qatif wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Qatif vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,630 per month in Qatif and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qatif, 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 $1,087 in Qatif and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Qatif. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qatif, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Qatif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qatif – 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 Qatif. 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.