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 $1,734 per month in Riyadh vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Riyadh vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Riyadh vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 33% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$11.96 MX$203

-34.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$47.38 MX$804

36.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$11.75 MX$199

-24.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$4.12 MX$70.0

2.67%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$1.40 MX$23.74

-39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.91 MX$15.48

-64.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$2.15 MX$36.48

-41.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$1.77 MX$30.10

38.42%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.82 MX$47.76

13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$9.20 MX$156

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$9.23 MX$157

7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.64 MX$214

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.95 MX$50.1

-11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.58 MX$26.79

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$2.22 MX$37.70

6.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$2.36 MX$40.09

-26.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.99 MX$33.81

-39.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.98 MX$33.58

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.24 MX$21.04

37.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.21 MX$20.55

-51.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$4.60 MX$78.1

63.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.60 MX$10.22

81.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$29.70 MX$504

26.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$5.24 MX$88.8

-37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$3.65 MX$61.9

-48.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$5.78 MX$98.1

127.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.54 MX$26.09

-61.69%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

57.35%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-13.25%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$90.7 MX$1,538

6.97%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$25.19 MX$427

28.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$31.75 MX$539

116.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$68.8 MX$1,167

30.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$29.37 MX$498

87.06%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$4.86 MX$82.5

173.46%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$226 MX$3,828

136.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

170.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$47.38 MX$804

24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$43.45 MX$737

29.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$80.2 MX$1,361

32.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$91.4 MX$1,550

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$1,086 MX$18.4K

8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$409 MX$6,933

103.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$1,972 MX$33.5K

11.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-4.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-27.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-70.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$773 MX$13.1K

165.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

11.45

-51.62%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Riyadh versus $1,086 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 165% 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 $65.0 in Riyadh versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Riyadh vs $278 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 33%, 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 $2,601 per month in Riyadh and $1,958 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 $1,734 in Riyadh and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% 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 $1,305, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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.