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 $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 40% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$11.99 MX$209

-31.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$41.78 MX$728

28.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$10.75 MX$187

-25.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$3.50 MX$60.9

13.71%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.45 MX$25.22

-46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.88 MX$15.41

-64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.84 MX$31.99

-27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.57 MX$27.31

50.32%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.51 MX$43.74

7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$8.28 MX$144

2.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$8.43 MX$147

17.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$10.68 MX$186

35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.61 MX$45.43

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.44 MX$25.04

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.96 MX$34.16

-4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.09 MX$36.47

-23.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.85 MX$32.24

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$2.17 MX$37.74

-32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.03 MX$17.96

38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.07 MX$18.70

-51.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$4.10 MX$71.4

80.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.51 MX$8.87

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$26.04 MX$453

41.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$3.23 MX$56.3

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.41 MX$41.88

-23.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$3.23 MX$56.2

308.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.32 MX$23.00

-51.52%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

18.14%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-0.92%

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

$106 SAR 398

$82.0 MX$1,428

29.09%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$22.95 MX$400

53.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$30.11 MX$524

155.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$52.0 MX$905

104.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$18.53 MX$323

223.31%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$4.98 MX$86.6

225.70%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$197 MX$3,438

135.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

78.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.60 MX$620

63.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$40.33 MX$702

61.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$78.8 MX$1,371

39.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$88.9 MX$1,549

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$947 MX$16.5K

17.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$474 MX$8,254

77.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$1,644 MX$28.6K

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-6.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-28.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-70.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$654 MX$11.4K

208.99%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $947 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 209% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $225 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 40%, 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 $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,884 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 $1,758 in Riyadh and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% 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 $1,256, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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.