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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $779 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,232 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,684 in Sale, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$4.55 MAD 42.09

160.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.89 MAD 304

30.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.80 MAD 62.9

56.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.98 MAD 18.35

74.24%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.69 MAD 6.36

117.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 MAD 3.73

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.42 MAD 50.2

-44.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.20 MAD 38.88

9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.95 MAD 8.79

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.57 MAD 5.31

224.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.87 MAD 17.26

-13.90%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.96 MAD 18.17

32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.06 MAD 121

-36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.01 MAD 55.6

39.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$12.03 MAD 111

-11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.52 MAD 14.06

73.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.32 MAD 12.23

12.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.92 MAD 8.50

108.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.89 MAD 8.21

134.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.80 MAD 7.38

132.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.80 MAD 7.45

182.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.39 MAD 3.62

171.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.59 MAD 5.44

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.36 MAD 40.30

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.84 MAD 44.74

114.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.72 MAD 25.20

-36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.47 MAD 22.86

5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.57 MAD 5.27

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$25.11 MAD 232

7.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.53 MAD 4.86

490.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.48 MAD 4.40

422.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.32 MAD 39.93

-27.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.52 MAD 14.04

-16.45%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

-18.55%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-20.38%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$32.93 MAD 305

152.05%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$11.00 MAD 102

106.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$45.34 MAD 419

-35.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$14.22 MAD 132

258.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$23.46 MAD 217

-21.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.41 MAD 59.3

-23.09%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$113 MAD 1,044

74.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

-18.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$43.49 MAD 402

-15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$50.8 MAD 470

-21.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$107 MAD 994

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$98.8 MAD 914

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$282 MAD 2,611

238.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$175 MAD 1,619

172.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$511 MAD 4,724

222.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$303 MAD 2,800

304.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

224.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$880 MAD 8,143

633.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$533 MAD 4,934

25.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $200 – 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 63%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,169 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $779 in Sale. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $779, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.