Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Masjed Soleyman Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Masjed Soleyman

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 in Masjed Soleyman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $819 in Masjed Soleyman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,104 in Masjed Soleyman.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 135% more expensive than in Masjed Soleyman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Masjed Soleyman 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.02 $4.02

198.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$17.33 $17.33

141.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.62 $4.62

132.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.15 $1.15

204.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.42 $0.42

245.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.00 $1.00

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.59 $0.59

142.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.52 $0.52

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.85 $1.85

-15.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.14 $1.14

120.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.41 $3.41

142.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.16 $3.16

166.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.97 $9.97

7.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.89 $0.89

193.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.35 $1.35

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.82 $0.82

139.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.58 $0.58

260.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.48 $0.48

285.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.49 $0.49

342.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.54 $0.54

90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.25 $0.25

328.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.14 $2.14

91.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.19 $0.19

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$9.91 $9.91

162.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.34 $0.34

850.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.27 $0.27

792.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.98 $1.98

63.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.73 $0.73

80.82%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$71.1K $71.1K

-58.25%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$54.5K $54.5K

-56.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$15.92 $15.92

415.14%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$2.12 $2.12

982.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$5.63 $5.63

434.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$15.92 $15.92

226.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$12.45 $12.45

48.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$1.47 $1.47

238.78%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$113 $113

74.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,984 $1,984

169.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$22.90 $22.90

55.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.16 $25.16

60.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$109 $109

-27.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$69.4 $69.4

28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$287 $287

230.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$198 $198

139.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$635 $635

158.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$323 $323

274.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,160 $1,160

249.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$651 $651

893.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

22.24

-48.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Masjed Soleyman: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $287 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Masjed Soleyman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $105 per month, with Masjed Soleyman 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 Masjed Soleyman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masjed Soleyman wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Masjed Soleyman the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $801 in Masjed Soleyman to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $287 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $113 in Masjed Soleyman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 136% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $534 in Masjed Soleyman versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Masjed Soleyman but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Masjed Soleyman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Masjed Soleyman delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $534 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Masjed Soleyman hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Masjed Soleyman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.