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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Sal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,374 in Sal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,860 in Sal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.95 CVE 564

96.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$46.67 CVE 4,428

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$11.41 CVE 1,083

2.10%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.43 CVE 231

68.31%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.72 CVE 258

-49.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.18 CVE 112

-29.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.79 CVE 454

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.08 CVE 293

124.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.58 CVE 150

9.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.33 CVE 221

-3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.23 CVE 117

43.90%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.91 CVE 276

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.60 CVE 911

-4.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.82 CVE 742

14.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$16.71 CVE 1,586

-24.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.34 CVE 317

-9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.48 CVE 235

-36.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.45 CVE 327

-38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.03 CVE 383

-43.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.72 CVE 163

16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.92 CVE 182

7.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.62 CVE 153

-27.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.13 CVE 107

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.78 CVE 453

-3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$6.87 CVE 652

55.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$4.14 CVE 393

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.96 CVE 186

46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.03 CVE 98.1

-44.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.08 CVE 198

162.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$3.19 CVE 303

15.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$13.22 CVE 1,254

-54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.37 CVE 130

13.14%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$63.5 CVE 6,024

40.38%

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$50.6 CVE 4,804

-37.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$29.27 CVE 2,777

131.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

$120 CVE 11.4K

87.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$30.98 CVE 2,939

53.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$145 CVE 13.8K

-36.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$267 CVE 25.4K

300.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$172 CVE 16.4K

135.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$317 CVE 30.1K

510.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$207 CVE 19.6K

530.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$682 CVE 64.7K

485.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$349 CVE 33.1K

1800.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$267 CVE 25.3K

180.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.25

118.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 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 181% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Sal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $307 – 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 46%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,331 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $888 in Sal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $120 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 $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.