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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $808 in Salento, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,204 in Salento, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,600 in Salento, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% 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 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.86 COP 12.1K

203.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$23.73 COP 74.7K

76.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.17 COP 22.6K

46.58%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.49 COP 4,677

140.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.87 COP 2,748

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.58 COP 1,811

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.19 COP 3,760

148.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.24 COP 7,050

96.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.07 COP 3,360

30.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.24 COP 3,913

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.15 COP 3,612

35.65%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.12 COP 6,672

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.63 COP 14.6K

79.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.16 COP 16.3K

61.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.39 COP 23.3K

46.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.54 COP 7,994

6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 COP 3,378

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.36 COP 4,294

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.06 COP 3,343

106.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.13 COP 3,549

64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.17 COP 3,671

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.82 COP 2,593

30.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.64 COP 2,031

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.46 COP 7,743

70.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.48 COP 29.8K

10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.09 COP 3,429

52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.74 COP 5,468

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.69 COP 2,162

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$29.74 COP 93.6K

-12.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.49 COP 4,676

106.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.80 COP 5,654

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.90 COP 18.6K

-46.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.96 COP 3,014

36.46%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

69.27%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.1K COP 79.0M

-7.05%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$81.0 COP 255.0K

0.35%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.23 COP 29.1K

144.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.66 COP 71.4K

32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.65 COP 74.5K

123.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.00 COP 12.6K

23.00%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$240 COP 754.3K

-16.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,011 COP 18.9M

-13.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.1 COP 189.2K

-40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$33.12 COP 104.3K

21.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.7 COP 263.5K

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$73.4 COP 231.0K

17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$276 COP 868.8K

254.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$235 COP 741.1K

99.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$537 COP 1.7M

207.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$414 COP 1.3M

190.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,453 COP 4.6M

172.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,052 COP 3.3M

528.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Salento: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $276 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Salento. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 56%, 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 $1,212 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $808 in Salento. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 $808, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.