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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $657 in Salatiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,000 in Salatiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,343 in Salatiga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Salatiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salatiga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Salatiga 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$0.96 Rp 16.6K

1143.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$10.27 Rp 177.9K

316.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

237.26%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.59 Rp 27.5K

127.67%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.35 Rp 6,023

320.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 Rp 3,995

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.21 Rp 38.3K

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.38 Rp 24.0K

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.52 Rp 26.3K

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

79.12%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.26 Rp 21.8K

109.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.00 Rp 156.0K

-8.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.71 Rp 47.0K

205.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.35 Rp 144.8K

32.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.37 Rp 41.1K

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

-6.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

39.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.39 Rp 24.0K

28.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.78 Rp 30.8K

22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.38 Rp 6,604

184.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.42 Rp 7,282

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$25.76 Rp 446.5K

-60.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.77 Rp 30.6K

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

-20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.32 Rp 5,606

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.01 Rp 173.6K

169.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.48 Rp 8,294

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.31 Rp 5,453

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.73 Rp 47.2K

13.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

84.06%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.5K Rp 354.7M

50.90%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$35.5K Rp 614.5M

-34.24%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$84.2 Rp 1.5M

-2.59%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.31 Rp 74.6K

420.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$19.87 Rp 344.4K

49.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$22.82 Rp 395.6K

127.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.99 Rp 103.9K

211.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.12 Rp 36.8K

134.43%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$191 Rp 3.3M

3.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,480 Rp 164.3M

-44.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.61 Rp 738.5K

-14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$12.36 Rp 214.2K

224.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$50.0 Rp 866.6K

59.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$82.4 Rp 1.4M

7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$254 Rp 4.4M

279.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$157 Rp 2.7M

195.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$588 Rp 10.2M

171.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$333 Rp 5.8M

263.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,211 Rp 21.0M

225.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$745 Rp 12.9M

765.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.33

37.09%

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 Salatiga: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $254 in Salatiga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Salatiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $221 – making Salatiga 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 Salatiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 96%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $986 in Salatiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salatiga, 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 $657 in Salatiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Salatiga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salatiga, where all-in costs run around $657, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Salatiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salatiga – 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 Salatiga. 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.