Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sakon Nakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sakon Nakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $882 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,427 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,972 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sakon Nakhon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sakon Nakhon 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.52 ฿49.69

671.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$15.15 ฿495

174.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.01 ฿98.4

253.49%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.45 ฿47.45

142.76%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.70 ฿22.83

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.28 ฿9.15

246.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.19 ฿71.7

34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.17 ฿71.0

105.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.56 ฿83.5

-46.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.30 ฿42.38

45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.27 ฿41.36

29.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.19 ฿71.4

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.66 ฿381

-28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.25 ฿73.4

270.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.93 ฿455

-22.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.13 ฿102

-16.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.26 ฿41.03

15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.28 ฿74.4

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.44 ฿79.8

-14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.44 ฿47.07

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.29 ฿42.21

69.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.66 ฿21.49

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.48 ฿15.64

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.35 ฿142

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.42 ฿503

-33.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.94 ฿63.5

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.47 ฿80.8

4.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.63 ฿20.63

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$7.68 ฿251

244.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.50 ฿49.09

117.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.18 ฿38.58

111.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.10 ฿199

-46.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.35 ฿44.06

-2.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.9K ฿911.2K

8.53%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.5K ฿896.8K

-14.67%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$50.3 ฿1,644

64.65%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.35 ฿338

114.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$16.61 ฿543

76.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$103 ฿3,364

-49.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.17 ฿398

50.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.72 ฿121

36.29%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$295 ฿9,624

-31.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,787 ฿319.6K

-46.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$28.94 ฿945

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$11.22 ฿367

254.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$92.6 ฿3,023

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$65.4 ฿2,136

33.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$417 ฿13.6K

133.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$288 ฿9,399

62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$823 ฿26.9K

99.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$649 ฿21.2K

88.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,277 ฿74.4K

73.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,657 ฿54.1K

292.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$774 ฿25.3K

-14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.45

109.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sakon Nakhon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Sakon Nakhon. 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 17% higher in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $246 – making Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,323 in Sakon Nakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $882 in Sakon Nakhon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 245% less in Sakon Nakhon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sakon Nakhon, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sakon Nakhon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakon Nakhon – 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 Sakon Nakhon. 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.