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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Saltillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,990 in Saltillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,749 in Saltillo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Saltillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saltillo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Saltillo 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$8.10 MX$141

48.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$44.68 MX$778

-6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.37 MX$111

68.76%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.10 MX$54.0

12.90%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.24 MX$21.67

16.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.00 MX$17.38

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.17 MX$37.72

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.69 MX$64.2

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.47 MX$25.67

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.25 MX$56.6

-43.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.90 MX$33.06

-17.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.53 MX$43.97

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.45 MX$182

-20.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.12 MX$141

3.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.84 MX$171

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.66 MX$46.27

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.19 MX$20.72

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.61 MX$27.98

21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.88 MX$32.72

11.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.07 MX$36.06

-10.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.39 MX$41.56

-9.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.22 MX$21.20

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.04 MX$18.17

2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.56 MX$62.0

15.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.82 MX$188

-6.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.23 MX$38.89

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.46 MX$25.48

73.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.82 MX$14.30

-37.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.01 MX$279

62.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.57 MX$44.84

25.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.81 MX$31.55

33.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.60 MX$185

-69.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.30 MX$22.61

1.54%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.7K MX$256.4K

101.64%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$24.5K MX$426.2K

-3.32%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$46.41 MX$808

76.71%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$24.21 MX$422

-5.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$29.61 MX$516

1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$66.4 MX$1,157

-21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.24 MX$231

39.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.34 MX$110

-21.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$240 MX$4,184

-17.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,536 MX$44.2K

110.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$53.9 MX$938

-33.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$55.8 MX$971

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$83.7 MX$1,457

-5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$121 MX$2,115

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$551 MX$9,598

71.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$484 MX$8,422

-1.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$910 MX$15.8K

80.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$975 MX$17.0K

24.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$580 MX$10.1K

599.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$923 MX$16.1K

600.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$814 MX$14.2K

-19.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.5

8.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saltillo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $551 in Saltillo. 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 24% higher in Saltillo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Saltillo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $267 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Saltillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,847 in Saltillo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saltillo, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,231 in Saltillo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Saltillo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saltillo, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Saltillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saltillo – 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 Saltillo. 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.