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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $776 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,256 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,736 in Sale, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Sale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.59 MAD 42.83

155.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$32.67 MAD 305

28.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.88 MAD 64.2

52.76%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.05 MAD 19.08

75.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.65 MAD 6.03

132.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 MAD 3.75

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.42 MAD 50.5

-45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.13 MAD 38.54

6.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.89 MAD 8.31

57.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.55 MAD 5.11

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.94 MAD 18.08

-19.59%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.07 MAD 19.27

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.87 MAD 120

-35.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.26 MAD 58.4

33.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.61 MAD 108

-6.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.57 MAD 14.64

72.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.33 MAD 12.43

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.94 MAD 8.79

98.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.89 MAD 8.34

146.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.75 MAD 6.98

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.76 MAD 7.08

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.43 MAD 3.97

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.64 MAD 5.97

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.29 MAD 40.05

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.80 MAD 44.71

117.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.74 MAD 25.50

-39.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.47 MAD 23.06

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.53 MAD 4.99

1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$24.24 MAD 226

7.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.54 MAD 5.03

470.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.52 MAD 4.85

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.29 MAD 40.01

-27.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.53 MAD 14.23

-14.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.6K MAD 351.0K

-20.81%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.8K MAD 277.7K

-21.70%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$33.53 MAD 313

142.41%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$11.05 MAD 103

104.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$46.02 MAD 429

-34.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$14.63 MAD 136

261.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$22.77 MAD 212

-19.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.51 MAD 60.7

-24.42%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$111 MAD 1,039

80.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,308 MAD 58.8K

-17.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$41.92 MAD 391

-14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$50.7 MAD 473

-20.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$106 MAD 991

-25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$98.0 MAD 914

-11.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$286 MAD 2,664

242.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 MAD 1,649

166.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$505 MAD 4,709

226.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$302 MAD 2,818

298.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

229.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$853 MAD 7,951

674.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$541 MAD 5,046

25.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.81

137.42%

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 Sale: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 in Sale. 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 25% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $33.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $201 – making Sale 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,165 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, 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 $776 in Sale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Sale. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.