Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sabana Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sabana Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,443 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,180 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,916 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Sabana Grande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sabana Grande is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$19.25 $19.25

-38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$80.6 $80.6

-46.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$9.85 $9.85

8.12%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$3.50 $3.50

-1.43%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.79 $1.79

-16.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$1.39 $1.39

-31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.97 $2.97

2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$4.59 $4.59

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$2.51 $2.51

-45.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.57 $3.57

-48.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$2.18 $2.18

-26.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$6.07 $6.07

-57.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$8.93 $8.93

-7.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$8.65 $8.65

-3.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$12.82 $12.82

-16.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$5.79 $5.79

-54.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.71 $2.71

-45.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$3.85 $3.85

-50.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$3.97 $3.97

-47.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$3.95 $3.95

-52.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$3.03 $3.03

-25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$3.10 $3.10

-65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.93 $1.93

-43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$11.98 $11.98

-65.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$15.36 $15.36

-32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.58 $2.58

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.10 $3.10

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$1.47 $1.47

70.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$14.72 $14.72

-78.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.01 $1.01

25.74%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$35.5K $35.5K

-14.39%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$26.3K $26.3K

-10.55%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$480 $480

-82.70%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$80.4 $80.4

-71.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$73.0 $73.0

-59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$12.16 $12.16

-59.46%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$461 $461

-57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$10.4K $10.4K

-49.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$46.00 $46.00

-19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$55.8 $55.8

-28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$92.7 $92.7

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$107 $107

-16.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$1,829 $1,829

-10.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$499 $499

685.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sabana Grande: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Sabana Grande. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $386 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Sabana Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabana Grande is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,164 in Sabana Grande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,443 in Sabana Grande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $461 in Sabana Grande. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Sabana Grande at $1,443. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabana Grande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sabana Grande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.