😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Samana, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,348 in Samana, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,855 in Samana, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Samana, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Samana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Samana37% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$4.21DOP 249
183.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$36.30DOP 2,145
17.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$7.60DOP 449
39.34%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.71DOP 101
111.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.71DOP 41.90
107.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.84DOP 49.40
11.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.47DOP 146
25.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$4.15DOP 245
7.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.38DOP 81.8
3.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.88DOP 51.9
113.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$0.87DOP 51.1
87.36%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.03DOP 120
30.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$6.27DOP 370
30.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$5.29DOP 313
56.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$8.26DOP 488
34.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.00DOP 177
-11.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$0.86DOP 51.0
74.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.40DOP 82.6
42.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.63DOP 96.4
27.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.67DOP 98.4
7.19%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.68DOP 99.3
29.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.52DOP 31.00
107.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.65DOP 38.50
60.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.21DOP 249
-5.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$8.25DOP 487
23.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.59DOP 153
-33.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.94DOP 174
-14.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.82DOP 48.24
-36.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.37DOP 199
-6.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.06DOP 62.9
126.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$5.96DOP 352
-48.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.23DOP 72.7
3.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$26.3KDOP 1.6M
17.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$32.2KDOP 1.9M
-27.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$50.8DOP 3,004
61.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$16.94DOP 1,001
32.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$36.28DOP 2,144
-18.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.67DOP 394
-25.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$265DOP 15.6K
-25.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$8,067DOP 476.7K
-34.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$61.2DOP 3,619
-40.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$52.0DOP 3,074
-23.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$97.8DOP 5,778
-18.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$117DOP 6,901
-23.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Samana
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$303DOP 17.9K
217.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$256DOP 15.1K
81.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$729DOP 43.1K
118.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$530DOP 31.3K
128.23%
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
Samana
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
12.9
-11.47%
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 Samana: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $303 in Samana. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Samana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $192 – making Samana 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 Samana: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Samana cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,260 in Samana. 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 Samana, 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 Samana?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $840 in Samana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Samana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Samana?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Samana, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Samana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Samana more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Samana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Samana. 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