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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,014 in Sal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,540 in Sal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,066 in Sal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sal are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sal 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.80 CVE 549

102.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$46.87 CVE 4,437

-11.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.28 CVE 690

46.15%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.28 CVE 216

54.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.43 CVE 230

-37.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.12 CVE 106

-13.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.85 CVE 364

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.11 CVE 295

43.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.50 CVE 142

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.22 CVE 210

-14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 CVE 147

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.87 CVE 272

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.06 CVE 1,048

-24.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.21 CVE 777

1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.60 CVE 1,572

-35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.93 CVE 278

-11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.54 CVE 240

-42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.94 CVE 279

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.16 CVE 394

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.63 CVE 154

9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.97 CVE 186

11.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.84 CVE 174

-43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.14 CVE 108

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.84 CVE 459

-15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.99 CVE 662

47.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.98 CVE 283

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.97 CVE 187

30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.03 CVE 97.7

-50.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.13 CVE 201

53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.83 CVE 268

-12.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$12.83 CVE 1,214

-74.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.43 CVE 135

-8.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$89.8 CVE 8,500

-7.70%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$55.2 CVE 5,225

-46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.47 CVE 3,358

45.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

$150 CVE 14.2K

34.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

104.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.74 CVE 3,006

16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$146 CVE 13.8K

-40.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$335 CVE 31.7K

190.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$295 CVE 27.9K

58.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$446 CVE 42.2K

268.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$400 CVE 37.9K

205.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$674 CVE 63.8K

485.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$348 CVE 33.0K

1764.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$263 CVE 24.9K

152.47%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $335 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 152% 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 $304 – 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 28%, 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 $1,521 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,014 in Sal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $150 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 $1,014, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.