Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sakarya Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sakarya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in Sakarya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,629 in Sakarya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,197 in Sakarya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Sakarya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakarya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sakarya 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$7.74 ₺367

51.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$26.89 ₺1,274

55.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$7.79 ₺369

34.92%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.18 ₺151

12.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.34 ₺63.5

12.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.49 ₺23.43

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$4.68 ₺222

-36.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$6.25 ₺296

-29.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.73 ₺34.55

91.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.79 ₺37.52

137.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$2.81 ₺133

-44.48%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.95 ₺92.3

33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.49 ₺355

11.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.58 ₺169

133.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$15.30 ₺725

-29.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.63 ₺77.3

66.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.76 ₺131

-45.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.88 ₺41.61

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.29 ₺61.2

69.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.49 ₺23.35

279.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.59 ₺28.08

277.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.91 ₺43.04

17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.55 ₺25.99

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.27 ₺107

84.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$13.21 ₺626

-21.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.72 ₺129

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.30 ₺156

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.62 ₺29.44

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$30.59 ₺1,449

-14.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$2.11 ₺100

45.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$7.76 ₺368

-59.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.16 ₺55.1

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$47.5K ₺2.2M

-37.22%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$48.5K ₺2.3M

-51.90%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$41.16 ₺1,949

97.47%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$14.78 ₺700

52.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$11.71 ₺555

156.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$33.33 ₺1,579

58.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$12.58 ₺596

46.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$4.72 ₺223

4.24%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$661 ₺31.3K

-69.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$7,821 ₺370.4K

-33.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$52.0 ₺2,462

-30.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$73.6 ₺3,485

-45.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$115 ₺5,424

-30.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$91.1 ₺4,316

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$511 ₺24.2K

91.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$390 ₺18.5K

20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$902 ₺42.7K

83.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$723 ₺34.2K

66.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,274 ₺60.3K

210.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$710 ₺33.6K

830.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$922 ₺43.7K

-26.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

36.83

-68.99%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sakarya: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $511 in Sakarya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Sakarya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Sakarya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $215 – making Sakarya 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 Sakarya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,591 in Sakarya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakarya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,061 in Sakarya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Sakarya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sakarya, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sakarya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakarya – 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 Sakarya. 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.