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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 in Latakia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $781 in Latakia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,089 in Latakia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 173% more expensive than in Latakia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Latakia 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 MX$198
$4.94 SYP 601
137.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 MX$787
$30.31 SYP 3,685
53.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.65 MX$197
$5.42 SYP 658
114.94%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$69.1
$0.99 SYP 120
313.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$23.21
$1.00 SYP 122
37.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$14.08
$0.80 SYP 97.8
3.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 MX$56.6
$0.99 SYP 120
238.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 MX$117
$3.08 SYP 374
124.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 MX$29.16
$0.95 SYP 116
82.11%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 MX$38.17
$0.41 SYP 50.2
451.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$29.88
$1.16 SYP 141
52.59%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$46.14
$1.46 SYP 177
86.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.18 MX$155
$3.89 SYP 473
135.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 MX$151
$5.20 SYP 632
71.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.60 MX$213
$14.16 SYP 1,721
-11.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$51.0
$0.86 SYP 105
251.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.52
$1.17 SYP 143
34.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 MX$35.89
$0.73 SYP 88.7
191.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.23
$0.69 SYP 83.9
227.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$33.84
$0.69 SYP 83.8
189.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$34.86
$0.79 SYP 96.3
160.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 MX$19.92
$0.41 SYP 49.31
187.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.33
$0.63 SYP 76.5
90.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63 MX$78.3
$2.84 SYP 346
63.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.69 MX$180
$4.08 SYP 495
162.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.35
$1.34 SYP 163
20.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$48.65
$2.29 SYP 278
25.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$9.68
$0.07 SYP 7.95
714.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.83 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$92.0
$1.03 SYP 125
429.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.70 MX$62.6
$0.57 SYP 69.5
549.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 MX$101
$5.09 SYP 618
17.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$26.23
$1.05 SYP 128
47.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K MX$377.0K
$15.0K SYP 1.8M
49.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K MX$438.2K
$18.8K SYP 2.3M
38.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 MX$1,505
$67.5 SYP 8,204
32.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04 MX$423
$7.31 SYP 888
242.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50 MX$532
$33.74 SYP 4,101
-6.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.8 MX$1,145
$14.19 SYP 1,725
377.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92 MX$488
$9.56 SYP 1,162
202.51%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05 MX$85.3
$1.17 SYP 142
331.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 MX$3,798
$40.57 SYP 4,931
454.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,222 MX$71.3K
$1,512 SYP 183.8K
179.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44 MX$801
$26.54 SYP 3,227
78.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98 MX$759
$19.16 SYP 2,329
134.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 MX$1,384
$42.08 SYP 5,115
94.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 MX$1,555
$39.66 SYP 4,821
132.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 MX$18.1K
$90.8 SYP 11.0K
1078.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$405 MX$6,844
$51.7 SYP 6,279
684.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,935 MX$32.7K
$250 SYP 30.4K
673.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 MX$22.0K
$126 SYP 15.3K
936.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,995 MX$67.5K
$705 SYP 85.7K
466.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,626 MX$111.9K
$246 SYP 29.8K
2598.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Latakia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$749 MX$12.6K
$58.3 SYP 7,085
1184.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
14.25
-19.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Latakia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $90.8 in Latakia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1184% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Latakia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $154 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Latakia?
Average pay runs 1184% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.8 in Latakia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.57 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 in Latakia?
Dining out is cheaper in Latakia – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Latakia?
At $473 in Latakia versus $1,293 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 – expenses run 173% 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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