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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $766 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,228 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,690 in Salto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Salto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Salto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$6.13 R$31.17

91.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$25.57 R$130

63.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.30 R$32.04

65.24%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.67 R$8.50

116.17%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.96 R$4.91

52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.69 R$3.53

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.75 R$8.92

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.77 R$14.08

66.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.93 R$4.74

53.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.47 R$7.50

29.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.14 R$5.80

37.72%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.30 R$11.71

14.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.26 R$42.03

2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.34 R$16.97

156.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.73 R$44.40

26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.17 R$11.02

24.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.76 R$8.95

-14.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.41 R$7.17

35.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.58 R$8.04

37.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.27 R$6.45

47.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.12 R$5.72

99.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.81 R$4.11

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.46 R$2.36

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.38 R$12.11

74.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$8.78 R$44.69

17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.31 R$6.67

28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.52 R$17.91

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.86 R$4.40

-36.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$38.38 R$195

-31.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.87 R$4.42

267.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.05 R$5.36

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$8.42 R$42.85

-62.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.05 R$5.35

25.71%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$22.6K R$115.2K

33.20%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$29.0K R$147.6K

-19.36%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$36.05 R$183

125.66%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$9.16 R$46.59

144.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$17.73 R$90.2

69.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$22.94 R$117

124.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$21.49 R$109

-14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$2.74 R$13.92

88.32%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$230 R$1,168

-12.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,958 R$35.4K

-23.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$57.8 R$294

-38.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$51.1 R$260

-21.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$85.6 R$436

-8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$73.4 R$374

18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$316 R$1,610

200.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$219 R$1,112

118.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$582 R$2,960

178.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$438 R$2,226

179.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.92

4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Salto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Salto. 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 $26.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $186 – making Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 69%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,148 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salto, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $766 in Salto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Salto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Salto. 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.