Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sa'dah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sa'dah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $763 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,188 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,096 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,612 in Sa'dah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Sa'dah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sa'dah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Sa'dah 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$203

$6.48 YER 1,531

72.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$810

$25.52 YER 6,026

74.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$216

$9.46 YER 2,233

25.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 YER 475

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 YER 615

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$69.3

$3.70 YER 873

2.97%

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

$1.38 MX$24.97

$1.12 YER 264

23.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.46

$0.65 YER 153

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$90.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.42

$2.08 YER 490

-27.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.77

$1.63 YER 384

38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.35

$2.06 YER 486

-26.70%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.73

$3.68 YER 869

-33.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$17.32 YER 4,090

-56.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$8.34 YER 1,969

-3.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$238

$19.04 YER 4,496

-31.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.5

$3.25 YER 768

-12.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.78

$1.01 YER 239

45.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.90

$2.14 YER 505

25.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.75

$1.67 YER 394

24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.52

$1.47 YER 346

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.51

$1.37 YER 323

46.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.97

$1.21 YER 286

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.34

$0.68 YER 161

80.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.37 YER 795

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 YER 444

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 809

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$81.0

$5.39 YER 1,272

-17.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$88.1

$4.10 YER 969

18.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.5

$2.10 YER 495

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$103

$7.29 YER 1,722

-22.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.43

$2.12 YER 501

-31.13%

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

$21.4K MX$388.4K

$16.7K YER 3.9M

28.13%

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

$24.0K MX$435.6K

$34.9K YER 8.2M

-31.31%

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

$86.3 MX$1,568

$106 YER 25.0K

-18.52%

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

$23.96 MX$435

$23.16 YER 5,467

3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$525

$102 YER 24.1K

-71.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,174

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$528

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$93.1

$5.89 YER 1,390

-12.90%

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

$211 MX$3,838

$118 YER 27.8K

79.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.4K

$2,174 YER 513.2K

86.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$803

$42.97 YER 10.1K

2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$787

$122 YER 28.9K

-64.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,396

$46.99 YER 11.1K

63.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,605

$41.49 YER 9,795

113.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,874

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$32.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$116.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$14.0K

$312 YER 73.7K

146.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.25

1.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 146% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Sa'dah. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Playa del Carmen vs $270 in Sa'dah – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Sa'dah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,859 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,145 in Sa'dah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,239 in Playa del Carmen and $763 in Sa'dah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Playa del Carmen and $118 in Sa'dah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa'dah, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. In Sa'dah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sa'dah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sa'dah. 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.