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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $616 in Salatiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $944 in Salatiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Salatiga, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 116% more than Salatiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salatiga are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Salatiga 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

1285.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$9.33 Rp 165.9K

395.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$2.84 Rp 50.4K

343.31%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

194.12%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.31 Rp 5,574

358.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.19 Rp 3,425

326.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

58.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$4.10 Rp 73.0K

66.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

42.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

64.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

115.00%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.23 Rp 21.9K

120.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$7.90 Rp 140.4K

18.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$3.10 Rp 55.0K

185.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.68 Rp 136.4K

66.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.04 Rp 36.3K

53.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

57.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

54.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.91 Rp 33.9K

4.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.33 Rp 5,829

275.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.38 Rp 6,793

213.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

132.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$25.31 Rp 449.9K

-58.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.70 Rp 30.2K

-7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.26 Rp 4,698

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.47 Rp 8,287

1031.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.44 Rp 7,751

745.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$2.58 Rp 45.9K

124.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.67 Rp 12.0K

131.34%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$24.9K Rp 443.4M

-10.32%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$33.1K Rp 588.7M

-22.80%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$85.4 Rp 1.5M

4.58%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$4.82 Rp 85.7K

383.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$19.78 Rp 351.6K

60.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$19.81 Rp 352.2K

247.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$9.64 Rp 171.4K

204.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

154.27%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$93.6 Rp 1.7M

137.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$8,200 Rp 145.7M

-47.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$22.58 Rp 401.4K

104.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$11.23 Rp 199.7K

295.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$45.59 Rp 810.4K

109.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$220 Rp 3.9M

384.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$147 Rp 2.6M

166.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$476 Rp 8.5M

317.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$343 Rp 6.1M

280.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,130 Rp 20.1M

257.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$708 Rp 12.6M

836.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

7.5

54.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Salatiga: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $220 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Salatiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $207 – 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 116%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $924 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $616 in Salatiga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $93.6 in Salatiga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salatiga, where all-in costs run around $616, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.