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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Unaizah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,739 per month in Unaizah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,327 per month in Unaizah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Unaizah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Unaizah 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$11.87 MX$204

-42.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.62 SAR 152

$42.90 MX$736

-5.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$10.65 MX$183

-32.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$3.45 MX$59.2

16.23%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.54

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

-72.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.38 MX$23.61

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$1.85 MX$31.70

-83.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$1.61 MX$27.65

45.96%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.20

$2.59 MX$44.51

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 SAR 22.11

$8.26 MX$142

-28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 SAR 17.76

$8.37 MX$144

-43.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 SAR 49.44

$10.66 MX$183

23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$2.63 MX$45.12

-14.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.49 MX$25.53

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.92 MX$32.94

-10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.09 MX$35.81

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.86 MX$31.88

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$2.26 MX$38.81

17.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.06 MX$18.23

16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.63

$1.09 MX$18.67

-35.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 SAR 26.10

$4.15 MX$71.2

67.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.54 MX$9.30

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 SAR 149

$26.94 MX$462

47.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$3.13 MX$53.7

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$2.51 MX$43.09

-26.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$3.15 MX$54.1

330.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.27 MX$21.88

-49.61%

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

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.28%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-4.79%

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

$106 SAR 397

$83.0 MX$1,425

27.36%

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

$33.99 SAR 128

$22.71 MX$390

49.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 SAR 275

$29.46 MX$506

148.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 SAR 199

$51.0 MX$875

4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.24 SAR 136

$18.33 MX$315

97.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SAR 59.2

$4.93 MX$84.5

219.88%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$197 MX$3,386

78.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

31.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 SAR 218

$36.90 MX$633

57.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$39.89 MX$685

49.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 SAR 299

$80.0 MX$1,373

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$89.5 MX$1,536

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,618

$956 MX$16.4K

-54.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,429

$477 MX$8,189

-20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,241

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,361

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-48.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 SAR 7,800

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-46.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 SAR 5,736

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-76.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 SAR 9,443

$667 MX$11.4K

277.30%

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 Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Unaizah versus $956 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 277% higher in Unaizah, 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 $41.00 in Unaizah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $250 – making Unaizah 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

Unaizah 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 $1,726 per month in Unaizah and $1,906 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 Unaizah, 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 Unaizah and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Unaizah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Unaizah, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Unaizah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Unaizah – 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 Unaizah. 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.