😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,267 in Salto, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,876 in Salto, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,485 in Salto, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Salto, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Salto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Salto5% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$20.05UYU 797
-40.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$39.86UYU 1,586
7.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$9.39UYU 373
12.78%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$3.08UYU 123
17.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$2.31UYU 91.7
-36.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.50UYU 59.8
-37.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.34UYU 173
-28.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.23UYU 128
38.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.03UYU 40.91
38.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.19UYU 47.25
57.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.44UYU 57.5
13.19%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.29UYU 131
-19.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$19.42UYU 773
-57.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$7.33UYU 291
13.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$10.05UYU 400
10.45%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
-
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
-
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$0.96UYU 38.37
107.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.45UYU 57.5
43.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
-
-
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
-
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.49UYU 19.63
120.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.21UYU 48.13
-14.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$5.09UYU 202
-22.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$7.37UYU 293
38.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.88UYU 74.9
-7.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.27UYU 90.1
10.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.24UYU 49.14
-58.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$44.29UYU 1,762
-39.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.48UYU 58.9
112.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.51UYU 59.9
58.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$10.82UYU 431
-71.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.89UYU 75.1
-32.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$39.5KUYU 1.6M
-21.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$39.5KUYU 1.6M
-40.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$183UYU 7,292
-55.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$20.35UYU 810
10.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$33.98UYU 1,352
-12.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$31.46UYU 1,252
64.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$9.52UYU 379
-47.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$68.5UYU 2,726
-46.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$61.5UYU 2,446
-34.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$111UYU 4,399
-27.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$68.0UYU 2,704
30.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$424UYU 16.9K
127.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$277UYU 11.0K
67.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$752UYU 29.9K
112.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$470UYU 18.7K
157.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Salto
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$640UYU 25.5K
12.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Salto: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $424 in Salto. 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 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $222 – making Salto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Salto: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Salto cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,901 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Salto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,267 in Salto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Salto?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $40.00 in Salto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Salto?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $1,267, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Salto more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Salto?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado