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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $766 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,189 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,611 in Sa'dah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% 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 3% lower, Sa'dah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.16 YER 1,459

111.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$25.34 YER 6,001

82.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$9.36 YER 2,217

34.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 YER 467

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 YER 580

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.75 YER 888

6.67%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.16 YER 274

22.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.63 YER 149

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.07 YER 491

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.71 YER 404

29.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.99 YER 472

-13.57%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.57 YER 845

-24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$17.43 YER 4,128

-46.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$8.26 YER 1,955

7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$18.81 YER 4,456

-32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.35 YER 794

-6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.00 YER 237

55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.19 YER 519

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.62 YER 384

45.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.48 YER 350

36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.37 YER 324

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.21 YER 287

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.69 YER 164

72.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 YER 773

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 440

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 YER 807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$5.52 YER 1,307

-15.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$4.22 YER 1,000

26.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.15 YER 510

73.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$7.03 YER 1,666

-17.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$2.10 YER 497

-26.19%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$16.8K YER 4.0M

33.39%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$35.1K YER 8.3M

-27.21%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$108 YER 25.6K

-17.39%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$23.19 YER 5,491

0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$103 YER 24.4K

-69.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$6.05 YER 1,432

-16.36%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$115 YER 27.2K

93.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$2,150 YER 509.1K

99.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$42.74 YER 10.1K

8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$121 YER 28.7K

-63.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$48.10 YER 11.4K

98.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$40.30 YER 9,545

129.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$314 YER 74.4K

137.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.25

3.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 138% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Sa'dah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $270 – making Sa'dah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 74%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,150 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $766 in Sa'dah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $115 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 $766, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.