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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $472 in Latakia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $791 in Latakia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,110 in Latakia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 167% more expensive than Latakia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Latakia 65% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$4.64 SYPย 527
151.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$19.83 SYPย 2,252
111.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$5.13 SYPย 583
102.73%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$0.66 SYPย 75.4
446.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$0.74 SYPย 84.3
98.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$0.36 SYPย 40.97
152.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$0.98 SYPย 112
209.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$1.72 SYPย 195
159.88%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$0.77 SYPย 87.7
79.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$0.62 SYPย 70.9
196.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.00 SYPย 113
61.00%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$1.89 SYPย 215
35.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$3.06 SYPย 347
177.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$6.72 SYPย 763
26.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$11.25 SYPย 1,278
-2.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$0.82 SYPย 93.3
232.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
$1.05 SYPย 119
42.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
$0.69 SYPย 78.3
184.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$0.59 SYPย 67.4
259.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$0.61 SYPย 69.2
204.92%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$0.66 SYPย 75.5
228.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$0.38 SYPย 43.13
181.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$0.58 SYPย 66.4
81.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
$2.96 SYPย 336
41.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$5.11 SYPย 581
101.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$0.98 SYPย 111
70.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$1.76 SYPย 200
41.48%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.06 SYPย 6.94
800.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$0.98 SYPย 112
216.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$0.48 SYPย 54.1
412.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$6.30 SYPย 716
-48.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$0.95 SYPย 108
32.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$18.4K SYPย 2.1M
64.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$20.7K SYPย 2.4M
13.13%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$40.53 SYPย 4,603
107.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$8.63 SYPย 980
157.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$47.31 SYPย 5,373
-37.33%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$11.95 SYPย 1,357
340.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$3.91 SYPย 444
369.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$1.07 SYPย 121
362.62%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$20.50 SYPย 2,328
867.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$1,836 SYPย 208.5K
189.86%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$21.72 SYPย 2,467
65.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$24.01 SYPย 2,727
66.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$41.15 SYPย 4,673
91.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$41.60 SYPย 4,725
107.96%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$243 SYPย 27.6K
302.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$83.6 SYPย 9,495
463.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$472 SYPย 53.7K
237.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$237 SYPย 26.9K
412.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
$59.1 SYPย 6,717
1107.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
13.75
-16.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Latakia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $243 in Latakia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1108% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $20 in Latakia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $149 per month, with Latakia cheaper across the board.

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
Playa del Carmen vs Latakia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Latakia cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Latakia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Latakia?
Playa del Carmen pays 1108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Latakia?
Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 in Latakia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.50 in Latakia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Latakia?
Dining out is cheaper in Latakia โ€“ a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Latakia?
At $472 in Latakia versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Latakia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Latakia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Latakia more family-friendly?
For families, Latakia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Latakia gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 167% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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