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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in Rabigh vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,745 per month in Rabigh vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in Rabigh vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rabigh is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rabigh and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rabigh 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$11.60 MX$200

-41.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$47.11 MX$811

11.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 SAR 31.81

$11.88 MX$205

-28.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.91

$3.98 MX$68.5

-7.04%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.81

$1.43 MX$24.57

-29.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.82 MX$14.20

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.68 MX$28.85

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$2.20 MX$37.83

-41.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.71 MX$29.41

38.01%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.90

$2.74 MX$47.20

-13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 SAR 23.94

$9.58 MX$165

-33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 SAR 30.46

$9.01 MX$155

-9.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 SAR 48.42

$12.81 MX$221

0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$2.89 MX$49.74

-27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.50 MX$25.78

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.15 MX$36.98

-27.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$2.26 MX$38.91

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.25

$1.98 MX$34.10

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.99 MX$34.26

-35.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.18

$1.23 MX$21.25

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$1.20 MX$20.60

-55.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 16.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$4.55 MX$78.3

48.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.60 MX$10.34

81.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.79 SAR 134

$28.80 MX$496

24.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 SAR 12.27

$5.39 MX$92.8

-39.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$3.73 MX$64.2

-53.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.66 SAR 51.3

$5.77 MX$99.3

136.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.54 MX$26.45

-58.44%

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

$47.5K SAR 178.4K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

110.60%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-18.07%

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

$101 SAR 381

$91.4 MX$1,573

10.91%

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

$38.20 SAR 143

$25.20 MX$434

51.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 SAR 250

$31.24 MX$538

113.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.2 SAR 298

$67.2 MX$1,157

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.44 SAR 141

$29.11 MX$501

28.62%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 SAR 45.20

$4.86 MX$83.7

147.53%

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

$746 SAR 2,800

$224 MX$3,851

233.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K SAR 60.8K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

282.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 SAR 260

$47.10 MX$811

47.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$44.29 MX$763

38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$80.1 MX$1,379

22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$92.7 MX$1,596

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 SAR 1,244

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-68.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 SAR 884

$390 MX$6,719

-39.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,313

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,618

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,648 SAR 9,946

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-33.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,928

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-79.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

11.45

-52.93%

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

Last update for Rabigh: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Rabigh versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Rabigh versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Rabigh vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Rabigh 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,614 per month in Rabigh and $1,899 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 Rabigh, 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 $1,076 in Rabigh and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Rabigh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rabigh, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Rabigh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabigh – 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 Rabigh. 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.