Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Maha Sarakham and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $916 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,498 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,079 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maha Sarakham is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maha Sarakham and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maha Sarakham 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿98.9

$11.94 MX$208

-74.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.12 ฿882

$42.75 MX$744

-36.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 ฿207

$10.59 MX$184

-39.85%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ฿65.3

$3.62 MX$63.0

-44.48%

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

$0.67 ฿21.76

$1.47 MX$25.54

-54.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.65

$0.94 MX$16.41

-71.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.5

$3.09 MX$53.8

-21.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿117

$4.46 MX$77.6

-19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿56.9

$1.43 MX$24.80

22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿43.27

$1.88 MX$32.79

-29.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.37

$1.63 MX$28.34

-22.09%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿71.4

$2.64 MX$45.99

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 ฿611

$8.21 MX$143

129.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿97.8

$8.29 MX$144

-63.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ฿345

$11.10 MX$193

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.65 MX$46.14

21.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿40.58

$1.50 MX$26.11

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ฿61.8

$1.99 MX$34.59

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ฿51.1

$2.08 MX$36.13

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.14

$1.79 MX$31.11

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.46

$2.18 MX$37.87

-43.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.40

$1.08 MX$18.73

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.66

$1.04 MX$18.04

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ฿143

$3.97 MX$69.1

10.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 ฿549

$10.20 MX$178

65.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿58.3

$1.73 MX$30.04

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.50 MX$43.46

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.02

$0.52 MX$9.02

82.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ฿35.57

$3.14 MX$54.7

-65.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿39.03

$2.40 MX$41.80

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 ฿202

$3.09 MX$53.7

100.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿40.53

$1.27 MX$22.16

-1.57%

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

$28.1K ฿914.8K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-8.88%

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

$27.1K ฿882.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

16.39%

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

$75.9 ฿2,467

$82.0 MX$1,427

-7.45%

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

$13.51 ฿439

$22.45 MX$391

-39.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 ฿608

$29.66 MX$516

-36.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 ฿1,631

$51.9 MX$903

-3.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 ฿398

$18.67 MX$325

-34.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 ฿229

$4.97 MX$86.5

41.45%

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

$297 ฿9,643

$198 MX$3,442

49.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,747 ฿316.9K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

84.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.86 ฿1,101

$36.34 MX$632

-6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 ฿1,136

$40.05 MX$697

-12.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 ฿3,217

$79.9 MX$1,390

23.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 ฿2,322

$88.9 MX$1,547

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.9K

$963 MX$16.8K

-55.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,321

$465 MX$8,086

-38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ฿26.4K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ฿21.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-45.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 ฿69.4K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-45.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿51.7K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-75.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Maha Sarakham versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Maha Sarakham vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $916 in Maha Sarakham, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 40% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,374 per month in Maha Sarakham and $1,930 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 Maha Sarakham, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $916 in Maha Sarakham to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Maha Sarakham. 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.