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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Taif vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,631 per month in Taif vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,113 per month in Taif vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Taif is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Taif and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Taif 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.39

$11.60 MX$199

-60.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 SAR 140

$47.11 MX$809

-20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 SAR 25.79

$11.88 MX$204

-42.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cappuccino

$2.96 SAR 11.13

$3.98 MX$68.2

-25.63%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.57

$1.43 MX$24.49

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 SAR 0.79

$0.82 MX$14.16

-74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

$1.68 MX$28.76

-13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$2.20 MX$37.71

-87.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.71 MX$29.32

39.77%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.74 MX$47.05

-7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$9.58 MX$164

-23.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 SAR 23.55

$9.01 MX$155

-30.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 SAR 39.73

$12.81 MX$220

-17.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$2.89 MX$49.58

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.50 MX$25.70

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

$2.15 MX$36.87

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$2.26 MX$38.79

-19.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$1.98 MX$34.00

-23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.99 MX$34.15

-13.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 SAR 3.14

$1.23 MX$21.18

-32.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.20 MX$20.54

-20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.38

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 SAR 25.72

$4.55 MX$78.1

50.55%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.60 MX$10.30

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.56 SAR 134

$28.80 MX$494

23.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$5.39 MX$92.5

-75.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$3.73 MX$64.0

-27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$5.77 MX$99.0

132.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.54 MX$26.37

-60.39%

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

$44.9K SAR 168.6K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

99.11%

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

$19.0K SAR 71.3K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-27.13%

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

$110 SAR 412

$91.4 MX$1,569

19.93%

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

$27.79 SAR 104

$25.20 MX$433

10.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 SAR 321

$31.24 MX$536

173.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 459

$67.2 MX$1,154

81.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 SAR 114

$29.11 MX$500

3.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.24 SAR 64.8

$4.86 MX$83.5

254.73%

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

$244 SAR 918

$224 MX$3,839

9.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,487 SAR 16.9K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

6.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.26 SAR 76.1

$47.10 MX$808

-56.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 SAR 213

$44.29 MX$760

28.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 SAR 355

$80.1 MX$1,375

18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.33 SAR 174

$92.7 MX$1,591

-50.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 SAR 4,693

$1,063 MX$18.2K

17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 SAR 1,279

$390 MX$6,698

-12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 SAR 3,264

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-59.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,262

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-73.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,386 SAR 8,959

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,366 SAR 5,131

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-78.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,790 SAR 6,723

$758 MX$13.0K

136.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

11.45

-68.56%

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

Last update for Taif: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,250 in Taif 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 136% higher in Taif, 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 Taif versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $276 – making Taif 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,725 per month in Taif 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 Taif, 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 $1,150 in Taif 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 Taif. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Taif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taif – 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 Taif. 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.