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 $1,137 per month in Sakakah vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Sakakah vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,400 per month in Sakakah vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sakakah is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sakakah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sakakah 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.76 SAR 21.64

$11.60 MX$200

-50.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.38 SAR 140

$47.11 MX$812

-20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 SAR 30.50

$11.88 MX$205

-31.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.53 SAR 13.25

$3.98 MX$68.6

-11.31%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.43 MX$24.60

-51.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.82 MX$14.22

-62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.68 MX$28.89

2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$2.20 MX$37.88

-49.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.32

$1.71 MX$29.45

29.24%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.74 MX$47.26

-14.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 SAR 28.47

$9.58 MX$165

-20.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SAR 29.59

$9.01 MX$155

-12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 SAR 47.75

$12.81 MX$221

-0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.89 MX$49.81

-24.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$2.15 MX$37.03

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$2.26 MX$38.96

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.23

$1.98 MX$34.15

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.99 MX$34.30

-33.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.30

$1.23 MX$21.28

-7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$1.20 MX$20.63

-53.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.39

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 SAR 24.54

$4.55 MX$78.5

43.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.60 MX$10.35

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.35 SAR 133

$28.80 MX$497

22.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SAR 11.10

$5.39 MX$92.9

-45.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$3.73 MX$64.3

-52.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.28

$5.77 MX$99.5

127.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$1.54 MX$26.48

-59.74%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

101.39%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-18.58%

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

$102 SAR 383

$91.4 MX$1,576

11.73%

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

$32.65 SAR 123

$25.20 MX$435

29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$31.24 MX$539

112.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.6 SAR 314

$67.2 MX$1,159

24.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.48 SAR 137

$29.11 MX$502

25.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$4.86 MX$83.8

177.16%

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

$343 SAR 1,286

$224 MX$3,856

53.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,627 SAR 24.9K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

56.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 SAR 190

$47.10 MX$812

7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 SAR 219

$44.29 MX$764

31.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 SAR 364

$80.1 MX$1,381

20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 SAR 339

$92.7 MX$1,598

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 SAR 2,201

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 SAR 1,276

$390 MX$6,728

-12.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,257

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-59.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 SAR 2,034

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-57.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,314 SAR 8,693

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-42.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 SAR 5,249

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-78.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 SAR 3,508

$758 MX$13.1K

23.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

11.45

-52.23%

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

Last update for Sakakah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Sakakah 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.

Salaries run about 23% 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 $37.00 in Sakakah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $276 – making Sakakah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 11%, 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 $1,705 per month in Sakakah 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 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 $1,137 in Sakakah 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 23% 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 $1,137, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.