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 $1,055 per month in Qatif vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Qatif vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,301 per month in Qatif vs $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$11.94 MX$209

-71.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.21 SAR 181

$42.75 MX$748

12.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.38

$10.59 MX$185

-23.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Cappuccino

$3.53 SAR 13.23

$3.62 MX$63.4

-2.49%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$1.47 MX$25.69

-47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.94 MX$16.51

-72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.43 MX$24.94

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.88 MX$32.97

-57.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$1.63 MX$28.50

28.83%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.64 MX$46.26

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.26

$8.21 MX$144

-24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 SAR 26.83

$8.29 MX$145

-13.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.58

$11.10 MX$194

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.01

$2.65 MX$46.40

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.76

$1.50 MX$26.26

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.38

$1.99 MX$34.79

-27.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 SAR 2.68

$2.08 MX$36.33

-65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.78

$1.79 MX$31.29

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.18 MX$38.09

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.15

$1.08 MX$18.84

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$1.04 MX$18.15

-50.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.17

$3.97 MX$69.5

89.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.52 MX$9.07

109.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 SAR 150

$26.97 MX$472

47.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$3.14 MX$55.0

-0.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.40 MX$42.04

-34.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$3.09 MX$54.0

333.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 MX$22.28

-50.39%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-27.22%

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

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-15.90%

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

$103 SAR 387

$82.0 MX$1,435

25.90%

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

$37.05 SAR 139

$22.45 MX$393

65.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 SAR 221

$29.66 MX$519

98.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 357

$51.9 MX$908

83.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.2 SAR 214

$18.67 MX$327

206.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 SAR 57.1

$4.97 MX$87.0

206.24%

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

$392 SAR 1,470

$198 MX$3,462

98.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

53.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 196

$36.34 MX$636

44.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 SAR 190

$40.05 MX$701

26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$79.9 MX$1,398

14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 SAR 320

$88.9 MX$1,555

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,333

$963 MX$16.9K

-63.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$465 MX$8,133

-39.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,661

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-55.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 SAR 1,855

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-59.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$943 SAR 3,537

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-76.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 SAR 2,910

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-87.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,869 SAR 7,009

$720 MX$12.6K

159.45%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Qatif versus $963 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 159% 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 $48.00 in Qatif versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $251 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 $1,583 per month in Qatif and $1,930 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 $1,055 in Qatif and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% 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 $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.