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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,478 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,218 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,957 in Sala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 15% cheaper than Sala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sala is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$12.53 SEK 119

-6.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$63.7 SEK 605

-34.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.20 SEK 96.9

3.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.19 SEK 30.28

12.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.86 SEK 17.70

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.39 SEK 22.67

-61.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$7.42 SEK 70.5

-60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$7.24 SEK 68.8

-39.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.78 SEK 16.87

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.69 SEK 25.53

-30.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.63 SEK 34.44

-57.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.86 SEK 36.68

-32.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.12 SEK 115

-31.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.89 SEK 113

-29.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.97 SEK 152

-32.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.14 SEK 29.85

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.57 SEK 24.45

-41.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$5.13 SEK 48.74

-57.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.56 SEK 14.78

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.18 SEK 11.17

88.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.71 SEK 25.77

-60.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.02 SEK 9.71

6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.20 SEK 68.4

-41.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.24 SEK 59.3

67.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.50 SEK 23.73

-33.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.92 SEK 18.28

35.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.25 SEK 30.83

-83.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$22.30 SEK 212

17.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$6.15 SEK 58.5

-49.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.58 SEK 15.05

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$21.29 SEK 202

-85.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-33.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

-28.04%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

-32.47%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$89.6 SEK 852

-9.33%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$21.17 SEK 201

6.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$36.99 SEK 351

-18.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$48.67 SEK 462

8.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.31 SEK 202

-13.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$18.75 SEK 178

-73.76%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$148 SEK 1,404

35.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

303.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.96 SEK 437

-21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$36.96 SEK 351

8.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$54.4 SEK 517

46.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$58.4 SEK 554

48.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$764 SEK 7,261

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$531 SEK 5,044

-11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$985 SEK 9,354

67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$737 SEK 7,002

63.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

-3.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

117.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

-73.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $764 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 271% 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: $252 vs $345 – 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 17%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,217 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,478 in Sala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $1,260, than in Sala at $1,478. 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.