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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,311 per month in Tabuk vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,991 per month in Tabuk vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Tabuk vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tabuk costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tabuk and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tabuk 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 SAR 31.96

$11.99 MX$210

-29.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 SAR 104

$41.78 MX$733

-33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 SAR 27.66

$10.75 MX$189

-31.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$3.05 SAR 11.45

$3.50 MX$61.3

-12.86%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$1.45 MX$25.41

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.88 MX$15.52

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.43 MX$25.12

33.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$1.84 MX$32.23

-69.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$1.57 MX$27.51

72.61%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$2.51 MX$44.06

4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 SAR 47.09

$8.28 MX$145

51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.75

$8.43 MX$148

-21.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 SAR 49.14

$10.68 MX$187

22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.61 MX$45.76

-23.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.44 MX$25.22

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

$1.96 MX$34.41

-8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.09 MX$36.74

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.85 MX$32.47

-8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$2.17 MX$38.02

-3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.03 MX$18.09

88.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$1.07 MX$18.84

-42.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.63 SAR 28.65

$4.10 MX$72.0

86.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.51 MX$8.93

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.43 SAR 148

$26.04 MX$457

51.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.23 MX$56.7

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$2.41 MX$42.19

-24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$3.23 MX$56.6

317.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$1.32 MX$23.17

-50.76%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-9.97%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-5.18%

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

$161 SAR 604

$82.0 MX$1,439

96.04%

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

$37.11 SAR 139

$22.95 MX$403

61.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 391

$30.11 MX$528

245.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 SAR 332

$52.0 MX$912

70.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.85 SAR 135

$18.53 MX$325

93.47%

Cinema Ticket

$25.80 SAR 96.9

$4.98 MX$87.3

418.07%

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

$352 SAR 1,321

$197 MX$3,463

78.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,390 SAR 31.5K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

57.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$35.60 MX$624

65.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$40.33 MX$707

46.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 295

$78.8 MX$1,381

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 SAR 309

$88.9 MX$1,560

-7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,263

$947 MX$16.6K

-64.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,375

$474 MX$8,314

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 SAR 3,049

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-50.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 SAR 2,769

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-39.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,566 SAR 9,637

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-36.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 SAR 5,756

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-76.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 SAR 6,617

$654 MX$11.5K

169.47%

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 Tabuk: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Tabuk 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 169% higher in Tabuk, 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 $28.00 in Tabuk versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $249 – making Tabuk 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

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

Yes – Tabuk is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,967 per month in Tabuk 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 $1,311 in Tabuk 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 51% 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 Tabuk at $1,311. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tabuk 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, Tabuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.