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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $802 in Salento, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,200 in Salento, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,597 in Salento, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Salento, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salento are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Salento 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.85 COP 13.5K

208.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$23.55 COP 82.2K

82.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.39 COP 25.8K

44.11%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.50 COP 5,227

130.00%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.89 COP 3,093

68.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.56 COP 1,960

69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.19 COP 4,154

154.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.14 COP 7,473

115.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.11 COP 3,872

24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.28 COP 4,476

44.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.13 COP 3,941

42.48%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.19 COP 7,639

18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.49 COP 15.7K

83.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.15 COP 18.0K

62.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.16 COP 25.0K

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.47 COP 8,611

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.09 COP 3,801

36.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.30 COP 4,536

47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.10 COP 3,835

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.11 COP 3,864

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.13 COP 3,933

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.82 COP 2,849

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.69 COP 2,406

57.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.34 COP 8,183

77.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.62 COP 33.6K

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.08 COP 3,764

59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.78 COP 6,219

46.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.73 COP 2,534

-26.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$29.72 COP 103.7K

-9.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.44 COP 5,016

117.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.79 COP 6,232

40.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.03 COP 21.1K

-47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.93 COP 3,235

36.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.7K COP 61.9M

71.31%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$25.2K COP 88.0M

-6.52%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$83.2 COP 290.5K

-0.29%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.85 COP 30.9K

156.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.58 COP 78.8K

30.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.94 COP 80.1K

122.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.96 COP 13.8K

24.49%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$243 COP 846.7K

-18.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,075 COP 21.2M

-13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$59.1 COP 206.3K

-37.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$32.20 COP 112.4K

23.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$84.3 COP 294.0K

-5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$71.4 COP 249.2K

25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$268 COP 936.5K

256.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$238 COP 832.2K

100.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$530 COP 1.8M

210.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$413 COP 1.4M

196.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,400 COP 4.9M

179.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,046 COP 3.7M

517.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salento: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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: $250 vs $173 – 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 59%, 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 $1,203 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $802 in Salento. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $802, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.