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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,500 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,227 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,954 in Sala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Sala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Sala is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$12.56 SEK 118

-6.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$64.2 SEK 600

-34.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$10.43 SEK 97.6

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.25 SEK 30.42

11.08%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.82 SEK 17.03

-19.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$2.52 SEK 23.55

-61.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$7.47 SEK 69.9

-60.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.58 SEK 70.9

-39.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.77 SEK 16.58

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.67 SEK 25.01

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$3.73 SEK 34.93

-57.91%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.03 SEK 37.70

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$11.89 SEK 111

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$11.89 SEK 111

-27.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$15.96 SEK 149

-31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.06 SEK 28.64

-11.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.58 SEK 24.11

-41.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.72 SEK 25.46

-29.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$5.30 SEK 49.56

-59.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.50 SEK 14.06

24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.18 SEK 11.07

88.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.75 SEK 25.74

-60.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.02 SEK 9.53

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.57 SEK 70.9

-45.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.31 SEK 59.1

63.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.58 SEK 24.17

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.91 SEK 17.88

32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.13 SEK 29.23

-82.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$21.99 SEK 206

19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.22 SEK 58.1

-48.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.64 SEK 15.35

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$21.15 SEK 198

-84.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.92 SEK 17.96

-31.25%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$42.2K SEK 394.8K

-28.56%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$34.5K SEK 322.3K

-32.09%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$90.6 SEK 848

-10.25%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$20.68 SEK 193

8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$36.22 SEK 339

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$48.47 SEK 453

6.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$21.08 SEK 197

-12.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$18.63 SEK 174

-72.30%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$149 SEK 1,397

35.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,259 SEK 11.8K

321.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$46.04 SEK 431

-22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$36.25 SEK 339

11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$54.8 SEK 513

43.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$58.1 SEK 543

49.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$756 SEK 7,068

25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$530 SEK 4,954

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$963 SEK 9,010

68.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$720 SEK 6,740

69.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$3,957 SEK 37.0K

1.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$2,730 SEK 25.5K

137.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$2,533 SEK 23.7K

-73.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.53

152.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sala: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $756 in Sala. 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 276% higher in Sala, 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 $64.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $346 – 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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sala is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,250 in Sala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,500 in Sala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Sala at $1,500. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.