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 $1,059 per month in Qatif vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Qatif vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Qatif vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qatif is about 17% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.81

$11.87 MX$204

-71.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 SAR 176

$42.90 MX$736

9.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$10.65 MX$183

-26.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.31

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.90%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$1.50 MX$25.81

-45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.95 MX$16.28

-72.63%

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)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.38 MX$23.61

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.02

$1.85 MX$31.70

-56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$1.61 MX$27.65

24.84%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.59 MX$44.51

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.62

$8.26 MX$142

-23.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$8.37 MX$144

-14.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.61

$10.66 MX$183

-6.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.63 MX$45.12

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.49 MX$25.53

-1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.92 MX$32.94

-27.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.86 MX$31.88

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$2.26 MX$38.81

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.06 MX$18.23

8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$1.09 MX$18.67

-53.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SAR 29.33

$4.15 MX$71.2

88.43%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.54 MX$9.30

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.34 SAR 148

$26.94 MX$462

46.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.24

$3.13 MX$53.7

4.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$2.51 MX$43.09

-35.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.52

$3.15 MX$54.1

319.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.27 MX$21.88

-52.76%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-26.75%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-16.14%

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

$105 SAR 396

$83.0 MX$1,425

27.01%

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

$36.22 SAR 136

$22.71 MX$390

59.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 SAR 229

$29.46 MX$506

107.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$51.0 MX$875

86.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

$18.33 MX$315

212.33%

Cinema Ticket

$15.49 SAR 58.1

$4.93 MX$84.5

214.20%

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

$393 SAR 1,476

$197 MX$3,386

99.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

59.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SAR 198

$36.90 MX$633

42.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 SAR 192

$39.89 MX$685

28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SAR 343

$80.0 MX$1,373

14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 SAR 323

$89.5 MX$1,536

-3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$956 MX$16.4K

-62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$477 MX$8,189

-39.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 SAR 2,606

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,811

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-60.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-75.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-87.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 SAR 8,661

$667 MX$11.4K

246.06%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Qatif versus $956 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 246% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $250 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 20%, 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 $1,589 per month in Qatif and $1,906 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 $1,059 in Qatif and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% 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 $1,059, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.