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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Sakarya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,481 in Sakarya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,003 in Sakarya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Sakarya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakarya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sakarya 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.41 ₺360

61.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$30.59 ₺1,485

54.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.43 ₺361

58.14%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.60 ₺175

14.44%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.97 ₺47.10

44.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.37 ₺18.04

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.90 ₺92.4

68.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.50 ₺122

182.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.95 ₺46.14

76.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.99 ₺48.21

117.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.11 ₺102

-16.11%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.03 ₺98.5

38.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.20 ₺398

12.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.93 ₺142

215.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$18.28 ₺888

-30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.99 ₺96.5

48.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.95 ₺94.5

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.85 ₺41.27

161.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.34 ₺65.1

76.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.50 ₺24.08

298.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.28 ₺13.48

607.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.77 ₺37.26

61.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.78 ₺38.07

55.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.01 ₺97.7

128.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$14.30 ₺694

-26.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.09 ₺101

-19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.71 ₺180

-25.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.44 ₺21.25

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$62.3 ₺3,025

-52.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.07 ₺51.9

389.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.17 ₺57.0

211.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$4.12 ₺200

40.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.31 ₺63.4

17.56%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$43.1K ₺2.1M

-47.13%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$40.5K ₺2.0M

-36.32%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$45.16 ₺2,193

100.78%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$10.43 ₺506

141.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$14.58 ₺708

117.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$30.58 ₺1,485

124.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.28 ₺305

-22.61%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$921 ₺44.7K

-75.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$15.0K ₺726.6K

-71.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$38.72 ₺1,880

22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$42.82 ₺2,079

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$85.9 ₺4,171

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$73.4 ₺3,562

24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$409 ₺19.8K

165.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$312 ₺15.1K

31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$801 ₺38.9K

146.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$507 ₺24.6K

152.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,235 ₺60.0K

227.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$702 ₺34.1K

855.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$901 ₺43.7K

-14.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

39.8

-71.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sakarya: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $409 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 16% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Sakarya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $223 – 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 36%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,438 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $959 in Sakarya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 110% 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 $959, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.