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 $1,348 per month in Tabuk vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tabuk vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,685 per month in Tabuk vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Tabuk sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 SAR 32.84

$11.73 MX$203

-25.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.64 SAR 104

$41.62 MX$720

-33.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$10.64 MX$184

-32.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.64

$3.52 MX$60.9

-11.93%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.83

$1.51 MX$26.12

-49.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.97 MX$16.84

-71.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.38 MX$23.93

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.89 MX$32.72

-72.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.64 MX$28.32

66.46%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$2.51 MX$43.34

7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 SAR 45.75

$8.34 MX$144

46.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.06

$8.34 MX$144

-19.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.61

$10.73 MX$186

20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.60 MX$45.04

-23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.74

$1.46 MX$25.20

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.72

$1.90 MX$32.87

-5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.08 MX$35.91

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.78 MX$30.71

-3.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$2.19 MX$37.80

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.04 MX$17.99

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.13

$1.08 MX$18.62

-47.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 SAR 28.14

$4.08 MX$70.6

83.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.51 MX$8.81

107.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.99 SAR 150

$26.46 MX$458

51.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$3.26 MX$56.4

-17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$2.49 MX$43.09

-23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.53

$3.25 MX$56.2

306.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$1.31 MX$22.61

-53.44%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-12.69%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-3.30%

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

$160 SAR 602

$82.9 MX$1,433

93.45%

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

$36.95 SAR 139

$22.22 MX$384

66.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 SAR 399

$29.34 MX$507

262.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 SAR 331

$51.6 MX$893

70.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.71 SAR 134

$18.32 MX$317

94.92%

Cinema Ticket

$25.73 SAR 96.6

$5.07 MX$87.6

407.50%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$201 MX$3,473

76.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

62.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$36.92 MX$639

61.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$39.79 MX$688

53.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$78.5 MX$1,357

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 310

$87.1 MX$1,506

-5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,291

$973 MX$16.8K

-64.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,374

$468 MX$8,090

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 SAR 3,085

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-49.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 SAR 2,743

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-40.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-32.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 SAR 5,728

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-76.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,707 SAR 6,406

$664 MX$11.5K

157.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Tabuk versus $973 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 157% 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: $215 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 $2,022 per month in Tabuk and $1,945 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 $1,348 in Tabuk and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Tabuk at $1,348. 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.