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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Sakakah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,662 per month in Sakakah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Sakakah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sakakah is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sakakah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sakakah 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.02 SAR 22.58

$11.87 MX$204

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.16 SAR 166

$42.90 MX$736

2.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.31

$10.65 MX$183

-26.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 SAR 7.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.90%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.50 MX$25.81

-57.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.95 MX$16.28

-64.21%

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)

$1.66 SAR 6.21

$1.38 MX$23.61

20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.85 MX$31.70

-45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$1.61 MX$27.65

49.07%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.59 MX$44.51

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$8.26 MX$142

-19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 SAR 28.33

$8.37 MX$144

-9.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 SAR 49.59

$10.66 MX$183

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.63 MX$45.12

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.92 MX$32.94

-9.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.09 MX$35.81

-25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.86 MX$31.88

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$2.26 MX$38.81

-43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.06 MX$18.23

16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$1.09 MX$18.67

-49.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$4.15 MX$71.2

64.10%

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)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.54 MX$9.30

101.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.20 SAR 147

$26.94 MX$462

45.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$3.13 MX$53.7

-14.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$2.51 MX$43.09

-23.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.16 SAR 49.39

$3.15 MX$54.1

317.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$1.27 MX$21.88

-55.12%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.19%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-4.58%

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

$105 SAR 393

$83.0 MX$1,425

26.33%

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

$33.95 SAR 127

$22.71 MX$390

49.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 SAR 272

$29.46 MX$506

146.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 SAR 224

$51.0 MX$875

17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.94 SAR 131

$18.33 MX$315

90.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$4.93 MX$84.5

220.28%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$197 MX$3,386

79.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,103 SAR 26.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

34.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 SAR 220

$36.90 MX$633

59.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 SAR 226

$39.89 MX$685

51.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 SAR 293

$80.0 MX$1,373

-2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$89.5 MX$1,536

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 SAR 835

$956 MX$16.4K

-76.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$477 MX$8,189

-21.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 SAR 1,285

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-79.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 SAR 1,163

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-74.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 SAR 8,794

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-40.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 SAR 5,097

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-78.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 SAR 3,495

$667 MX$11.4K

39.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.42

-61.30%

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

Last update for Sakakah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Sakakah 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 40% higher in Sakakah, 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 $44.00 in Sakakah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Sakakah vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Sakakah 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,795 per month in Sakakah 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 Sakakah, 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 $1,197 in Sakakah 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 Sakakah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sakakah, where all-in costs run around $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sakakah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakakah – 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 Sakakah. 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.