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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $994 in Samara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,708 in Samara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,422 in Samara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Samara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Samara 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.58 ₽988

-4.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$51.0 ₽4,008

-18.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.64 ₽443

90.60%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.41 ₽189

45.23%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.17 ₽92.1

23.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.69 ₽54.6

27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.13 ₽88.5

161.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.58 ₽203

74.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.12 ₽87.7

27.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.59 ₽46.56

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.24 ₽97.3

26.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.72 ₽135

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.34 ₽734

-11.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.18 ₽407

62.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.30 ₽652

28.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.55 ₽122

68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.82 ₽143

-20.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.28 ₽179

-14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.36 ₽185

-11.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.62 ₽48.88

198.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.47 ₽36.96

361.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.82 ₽143

-43.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 ₽44.16

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.10 ₽243

32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.51 ₽354

125.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.94 ₽73.9

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.25 ₽176

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.46 ₽36.52

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$40.89 ₽3,213

-36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.39 ₽267

-4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.42 ₽32.97

473.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.87 ₽304

-16.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.75 ₽59.0

76.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$47.8K ₽3.8M

-37.86%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$43.0K ₽3.4M

-44.96%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$121 ₽9,497

-32.16%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$6.43 ₽505

256.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$8.24 ₽647

265.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$35.32 ₽2,775

47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.69 ₽1,076

35.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.20 ₽330

18.57%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$323 ₽25.4K

-38.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,976 ₽469.5K

-10.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$99.7 ₽7,831

-64.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$46.73 ₽3,671

-13.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$126 ₽9,912

-37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.3 ₽5,917

18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$458 ₽36.0K

106.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$276 ₽21.7K

71.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,252 ₽98.4K

31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$710 ₽55.8K

70.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$990 ₽77.8K

-33.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.33

-25.51%

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 Samara: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $458 in Samara. 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 51% higher in Samara, 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 $51.0 in Samara. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $182 in Samara – so Samara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,491 in Samara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samara, 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 $994 in Samara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Samara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samara, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Samara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samara – 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 Samara. 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.