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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $813 in Salento, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,207 in Salento, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,601 in Salento, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Salento, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salento are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Salento 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.99 COP 14.4K

199.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.54 COP 85.0K

81.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.40 COP 26.7K

43.11%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.55 COP 5,597

133.55%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.93 COP 3,348

58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.60 COP 2,179

56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.16 COP 4,182

166.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.20 COP 7,933

102.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.06 COP 3,826

34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.24 COP 4,491

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.17 COP 4,235

39.32%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.21 COP 7,970

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.56 COP 16.5K

80.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.25 COP 19.0K

57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.24 COP 26.1K

53.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.52 COP 9,103

5.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.05 COP 3,787

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.31 COP 4,738

51.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.10 COP 3,976

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.12 COP 4,040

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.13 COP 4,080

92.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.80 COP 2,896

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.65 COP 2,348

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.33 COP 8,406

70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.45 COP 34.1K

7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.10 COP 3,967

57.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.76 COP 6,355

42.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.67 COP 2,403

-22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.19 COP 109.0K

-10.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.44 COP 5,186

118.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.79 COP 6,473

34.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.22 COP 22.4K

-50.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.00 COP 3,609

27.00%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.8K COP 64.3M

73.48%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$25.8K COP 93.3M

-9.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$82.4 COP 297.5K

-0.47%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.12 COP 32.9K

146.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.47 COP 81.1K

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.24 COP 83.9K

123.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.00 COP 14.4K

24.25%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$240 COP 867.4K

-17.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,005 COP 21.7M

-12.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.7 COP 215.6K

-39.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$32.39 COP 116.9K

23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$82.4 COP 297.3K

-3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$71.5 COP 258.2K

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$268 COP 966.0K

259.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$239 COP 864.3K

94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$526 COP 1.9M

203.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$422 COP 1.5M

186.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,435 COP 5.2M

174.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,064 COP 3.8M

505.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.06

-12.56%

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 Salento: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Salento. 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 $24.00 in Salento. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $172 – making Salento 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 Salento: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,219 in Salento. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salento, 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 $813 in Salento. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Salento. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salento, where all-in costs run around $813, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Salento it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salento – 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 Salento. 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.