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 $1,057 per month in Qatif vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,683 per month in Qatif vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Qatif vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qatif is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qatif and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.78

$11.73 MX$202

-70.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.84 SAR 183

$41.78 MX$719

16.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.13

$10.41 MX$179

-22.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.57 SAR 13.40

$3.61 MX$62.1

-1.11%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.87

$1.46 MX$25.06

-47.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.97 MX$16.70

-73.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.43 MX$24.59

20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$1.90 MX$32.70

-56.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$1.57 MX$26.95

34.39%

Eggs

$2.23 SAR 8.35

$2.64 MX$45.34

-15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.63

$8.44 MX$145

-25.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 SAR 27.52

$8.58 MX$148

-14.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 SAR 38.08

$11.00 MX$189

-7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.70 MX$46.51

-22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.51 MX$25.92

-1.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.91 MX$32.93

-24.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 SAR 2.65

$2.17 MX$37.37

-67.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.87 MX$32.25

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$2.23 MX$38.43

-38.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.08 MX$18.60

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.91

$1.07 MX$18.47

-52.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$4.16 MX$71.6

88.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$0.55 MX$9.53

98.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.62 SAR 149

$26.29 MX$452

50.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SAR 11.84

$3.20 MX$55.0

-1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.46 MX$42.37

-36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SAR 50.2

$3.20 MX$55.0

317.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.32 MX$22.72

-52.27%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-24.98%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.7K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-13.76%

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

$106 SAR 396

$81.4 MX$1,400

29.81%

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

$36.23 SAR 136

$22.41 MX$386

61.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 SAR 222

$29.97 MX$516

97.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.6 SAR 355

$51.6 MX$887

83.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 SAR 216

$18.39 MX$316

212.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$5.16 MX$88.9

201.16%

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

$401 SAR 1,505

$202 MX$3,471

98.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,166 SAR 30.6K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

53.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 SAR 194

$35.61 MX$613

44.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 SAR 191

$40.37 MX$695

25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 SAR 338

$78.6 MX$1,353

14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 SAR 326

$86.9 MX$1,495

-0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,336

$950 MX$16.3K

-62.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 SAR 1,070

$478 MX$8,227

-40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 SAR 2,639

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-56.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 SAR 1,856

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-59.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$970 SAR 3,639

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-75.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$795 SAR 2,983

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-87.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,237 SAR 8,396

$673 MX$11.6K

232.47%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Qatif versus $950 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 $49.00 in Qatif versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Qatif vs $254 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 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 $1,586 per month in Qatif and $1,941 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 $1,057 in Qatif and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 $1,057, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.