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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,048 in Samaxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,877 in Samaxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,706 in Samaxi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Samaxi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samaxi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Samaxi 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$17.41 ₼29.59

-32.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$52.7 ₼89.5

-20.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.68 ₼16.45

9.92%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.20 ₼7.13

-16.19%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.36 ₼2.31

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.36 ₼0.62

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.45 ₼2.47

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.71 ₼4.60

64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.43 ₼2.44

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.62 ₼1.05

204.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.00 ₼5.09

-45.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.39 ₼2.36

80.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.95 ₼11.81

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.02 ₼10.23

38.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.39 ₼19.36

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.45 ₼2.46

79.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.67 ₼2.84

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.72 ₼2.92

10.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.03 ₼3.45

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.69 ₼1.17

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.61 ₼1.03

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.61 ₼1.03

77.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.64 ₼6.18

12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.77 ₼18.30

-4.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.72 ₼2.93

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.86 ₼4.87

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 ₼0.47

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$14.80 ₼25.16

78.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.73 ₼2.95

88.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.16 ₼1.96

114.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.01 ₼5.11

7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.56 ₼0.95

133.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.4K ₼39.8K

29.19%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.6K ₼41.9K

-4.89%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$57.2 ₼97.2

44.85%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.78 ₼25.12

50.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.37 ₼39.72

25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.83 ₼50.7

73.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.42 ₼24.51

27.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.95 ₼11.81

-27.05%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$235 ₼400

-14.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$11.9K ₼20.3K

-56.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.53 ₼79.1

-20.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$57.7 ₼98.1

-31.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$119 ₼203

-34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$137 ₼232

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$377 ₼641

157.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$289 ₼492

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$705 ₼1,198

132.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$891 ₼1,514

37.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,048 ₼3,481

92.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,183 ₼2,011

449.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$345 ₼586

92.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Samaxi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $377 in Samaxi. 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 93% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Samaxi. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $205 in Samaxi – so Samaxi 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 Samaxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,572 in Samaxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samaxi, 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 $1,048 in Samaxi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Samaxi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Samaxi, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Samaxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samaxi – 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 Samaxi. 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.