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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $997 in Sal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,518 in Sal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,038 in Sal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sal are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sal 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.72 CVE 552

109.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$46.66 CVE 4,505

-10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.38 CVE 712

45.66%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.37 CVE 229

47.68%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.43 CVE 234

-40.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.17 CVE 113

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.98 CVE 384

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.22 CVE 311

40.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.47 CVE 142

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.18 CVE 210

-15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.54 CVE 149

1.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.73 CVE 264

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.08 CVE 1,069

-25.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.32 CVE 804

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.37 CVE 1,581

-34.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.82 CVE 272

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.55 CVE 246

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.97 CVE 287

-34.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.05 CVE 391

-48.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.62 CVE 156

14.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.99 CVE 192

9.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.86 CVE 180

-44.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.11 CVE 107

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.74 CVE 457

-13.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.65 CVE 642

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$3.07 CVE 297

-45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.96 CVE 189

29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.04 CVE 100

-50.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.12 CVE 205

52.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.77 CVE 268

-13.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$13.00 CVE 1,255

-75.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.48 CVE 143

-10.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$91.3 CVE 8,818

-10.20%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$56.0 CVE 5,408

-46.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.94 CVE 3,374

48.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$146 CVE 14.1K

35.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,548 CVE 246.1K

109.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$31.14 CVE 3,007

14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$145 CVE 14.0K

-38.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$333 CVE 32.2K

184.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$294 CVE 28.4K

61.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$440 CVE 42.5K

273.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$388 CVE 37.5K

211.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$672 CVE 64.9K

503.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$343 CVE 33.2K

1783.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$257 CVE 24.8K

154.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sal: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $333 in Sal. 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 154% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Sal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $301 – 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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,495 in Sal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sal, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $997 in Sal. 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 $146 in Sal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sal, where all-in costs run around $997, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Sal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sal – 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 Sal. 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.