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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,351 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,083 in Sala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Sala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Sala is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$12.46 SEK 123

-6.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$61.7 SEK 608

-23.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.06 SEK 99.2

18.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.30 SEK 32.50

20.61%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.87 SEK 18.44

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.33 SEK 23.01

-64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.12 SEK 70.2

-55.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.81 SEK 17.88

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.62 SEK 25.85

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.64 SEK 35.85

-53.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.00 SEK 49.28

-45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.89 SEK 117

-19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.80 SEK 136

-34.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$22.79 SEK 225

-43.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.08 SEK 30.39

-6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.68 SEK 26.39

-44.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.72 SEK 26.85

-20.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.92 SEK 48.51

-54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.54 SEK 15.16

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.22 SEK 12.06

63.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.72 SEK 26.82

-54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.02 SEK 10.05

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.33 SEK 72.2

-37.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.30 SEK 62.1

64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.01 SEK 19.80

-19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.93 SEK 19.00

49.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$3.11 SEK 30.65

-80.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$21.82 SEK 215

31.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.03 SEK 59.4

-10.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.84 SEK 18.17

102.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$83.3 SEK 820

-93.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.76 SEK 17.31

-12.50%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.5K SEK 339.8K

-34.60%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.3K SEK 337.7K

-23.95%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$186 SEK 1,835

-50.94%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.01 SEK 207

19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$39.07 SEK 385

-20.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$47.16 SEK 465

42.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.57 SEK 203

41.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.44 SEK 162

-70.44%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$164 SEK 1,618

36.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,266 SEK 12.5K

233.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$45.96 SEK 453

2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$36.55 SEK 360

21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$55.3 SEK 544

45.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$57.8 SEK 570

60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$757 SEK 7,464

40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$536 SEK 5,285

-27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$967 SEK 9,533

122.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$714 SEK 7,040

78.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,196 SEK 41.3K

-4.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,926 SEK 28.8K

122.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,489 SEK 24.5K

-69.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.2

257.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $757 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 228% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $376 – 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 28%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,429 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,619 in Sala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $1,266, than in Sala at $1,619. 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.