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 $1,244 per month in Tabuk vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Tabuk vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,453 per month in Tabuk vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tabuk is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tabuk and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tabuk 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 SAR 28.33

$11.60 MX$199

-34.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 SAR 121

$47.11 MX$809

-31.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 SAR 28.92

$11.88 MX$204

-35.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Cappuccino

$3.13 SAR 11.76

$3.98 MX$68.2

-21.36%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$1.43 MX$24.49

-49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.82 MX$14.16

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.68 MX$28.76

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$2.20 MX$37.71

-58.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.71 MX$29.32

58.48%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.60

$2.74 MX$47.05

2.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 SAR 46.83

$9.58 MX$164

30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.62

$9.01 MX$155

-24.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$12.81 MX$220

3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$2.89 MX$49.58

-32.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.50 MX$25.70

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.15 MX$36.87

-19.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$2.26 MX$38.79

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.98 MX$34.00

-11.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$1.99 MX$34.15

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.23 MX$21.18

56.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$1.20 MX$20.54

-54.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.29

$4.55 MX$78.1

47.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.60 MX$10.30

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.75 SAR 134

$28.80 MX$494

24.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 SAR 11.20

$5.39 MX$92.5

-44.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$3.73 MX$64.0

-52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.22

$5.77 MX$99.0

127.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.49

$1.54 MX$26.37

-57.14%

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

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

102.85%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-16.75%

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

$101 SAR 379

$91.4 MX$1,569

10.39%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$25.20 MX$433

43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 SAR 288

$31.24 MX$536

145.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 319

$67.2 MX$1,154

26.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 SAR 141

$29.11 MX$500

28.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 SAR 49.78

$4.86 MX$83.5

172.84%

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

$351 SAR 1,316

$224 MX$3,839

56.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

97.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 SAR 190

$47.10 MX$808

7.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 214

$44.29 MX$760

28.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$80.1 MX$1,375

19.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 SAR 327

$92.7 MX$1,591

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 SAR 1,267

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-68.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,392

$390 MX$6,698

-4.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,368

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-70.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SAR 2,289

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-52.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 SAR 8,768

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-41.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,399 SAR 5,254

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-78.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,697 SAR 6,372

$758 MX$13.0K

123.79%

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 Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Tabuk 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 124% higher in Tabuk, 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 $32.00 in Tabuk versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $276 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,865 per month in Tabuk 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 Tabuk, 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 $1,244 in Tabuk 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 24% less in Tabuk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tabuk, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tabuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tabuk – 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 Tabuk. 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.