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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,236 in Saltillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,990 in Saltillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,743 in Saltillo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Saltillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saltillo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Saltillo 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.94 MX$138

47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$44.15 MX$765

-5.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.32 MX$109

68.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.09 MX$53.6

13.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.25 MX$21.60

20.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.02 MX$17.69

-4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.08 MX$36.10

41.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.74 MX$64.8

18.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.48 MX$25.63

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.23 MX$55.9

-41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.81 MX$31.40

-9.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.52 MX$43.59

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.28 MX$178

-18.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.36 MX$145

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.76 MX$169

9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.60 MX$44.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.21 MX$21.00

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.61 MX$27.84

18.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.90 MX$32.86

9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.17 MX$37.60

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.52 MX$43.65

-13.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.17 MX$20.34

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.03 MX$17.89

4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.61 MX$62.5

13.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.01 MX$191

-6.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.28 MX$39.44

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.40 MX$24.34

84.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.76 MX$13.11

-32.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$15.69 MX$272

68.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.59 MX$44.83

25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.74 MX$30.21

43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.65 MX$184

-69.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.24 MX$21.54

5.65%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$14.7K MX$254.5K

106.16%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.5K MX$424.4K

-4.33%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$45.66 MX$791

81.49%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$24.43 MX$423

-9.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$28.84 MX$500

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$66.0 MX$1,144

-21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.35 MX$231

37.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.20 MX$107

-18.23%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$238 MX$4,123

-15.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,588 MX$44.9K

101.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$55.6 MX$963

-33.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$55.0 MX$953

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$83.3 MX$1,443

-5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$119 MX$2,055

-26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$555 MX$9,609

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$483 MX$8,365

-3.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$925 MX$16.0K

77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$963 MX$16.7K

26.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$581 MX$10.1K

578.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$929 MX$16.1K

599.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$838 MX$14.5K

-20.76%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saltillo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $555 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 26% 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 $44.00 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 5%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,855 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,236 in Saltillo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.