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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,496 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,234 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,973 in Sala, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Sala is 12% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$12.80 SEK 119

-6.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$63.5 SEK 591

-32.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.15 SEK 94.4

4.33%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.18 SEK 29.55

13.84%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.83 SEK 17.05

-19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.47 SEK 22.99

-61.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$7.29 SEK 67.8

-57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$7.56 SEK 70.4

-41.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.83 SEK 17.06

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.65 SEK 24.65

-29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.68 SEK 34.23

-55.71%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.07 SEK 37.86

-35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$11.73 SEK 109

-30.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.91 SEK 111

-30.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.92 SEK 148

-30.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.02 SEK 28.10

-12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.70 SEK 25.11

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.72 SEK 25.33

-26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.14 SEK 47.78

-59.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.52 SEK 14.13

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.20 SEK 11.13

81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.72 SEK 25.32

-60.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.07 SEK 9.91

-2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.55 SEK 70.3

-47.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.47 SEK 60.2

57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.48 SEK 23.03

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.88 SEK 17.52

32.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$3.22 SEK 29.90

-83.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$21.91 SEK 204

23.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$6.25 SEK 58.2

-49.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.66 SEK 15.44

44.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$21.07 SEK 196

-85.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.98 SEK 18.40

-35.86%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$42.7K SEK 396.7K

-27.60%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.4K SEK 319.7K

-32.17%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$88.1 SEK 819

-6.88%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$21.33 SEK 198

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.05 SEK 345

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$48.76 SEK 453

6.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.11 SEK 196

-11.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$19.10 SEK 178

-73.98%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$147 SEK 1,367

34.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,286 SEK 12.0K

310.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$47.81 SEK 445

-23.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$36.57 SEK 340

9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$55.6 SEK 517

43.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$58.8 SEK 547

51.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$755 SEK 7,022

27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$534 SEK 4,965

-12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$984 SEK 9,154

62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$720 SEK 6,697

67.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$4,275 SEK 39.8K

-7.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,074 SEK 28.6K

109.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$2,601 SEK 24.2K

-72.31%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $755 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 261% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,244 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,496 in Sala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% 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 $1,287, than in Sala at $1,496. 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.