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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$11.73 MX$203

-30.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$41.62 MX$719

27.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$10.64 MX$184

-23.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.52 MX$60.8

16.19%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$1.51 MX$26.09

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.97 MX$16.82

-70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.38 MX$23.90

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.89 MX$32.69

-32.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.64 MX$28.29

43.29%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.51 MX$43.30

8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$8.34 MX$144

3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$8.34 MX$144

20.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$10.73 MX$185

35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.60 MX$45.00

-9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.46 MX$25.18

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.90 MX$32.84

-2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$2.08 MX$35.88

-26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.78 MX$30.68

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$2.19 MX$37.76

-32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.04 MX$17.97

39.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$1.08 MX$18.60

-50.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$4.08 MX$70.5

84.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.51 MX$8.81

113.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$26.46 MX$457

38.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$3.26 MX$56.4

0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.49 MX$43.05

-25.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$3.25 MX$56.1

315.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.31 MX$22.59

-51.91%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

12.67%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-0.04%

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

$104 SAR 391

$82.9 MX$1,432

25.71%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$22.22 MX$384

54.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$29.34 MX$507

162.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$51.6 MX$892

103.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$18.32 MX$317

218.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$5.07 MX$87.5

218.93%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$201 MX$3,470

127.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

86.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$36.92 MX$638

61.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$39.79 MX$688

61.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$78.5 MX$1,356

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$87.1 MX$1,505

15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$973 MX$16.8K

10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$468 MX$8,082

79.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$1,641 MX$28.4K

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-10.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-22.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-70.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$664 MX$11.5K

239.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

11.42

-53.50%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $973 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 239% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Riyadh vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Riyadh 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

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

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,739 in Riyadh and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.