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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $902 in Samsun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,603 in Samsun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,304 in Samsun, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Samsun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Samsun 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.10 ₺394

43.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$62.4 ₺3,037

-24.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.74 ₺377

53.49%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.21 ₺156

23.99%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.95 ₺46.15

50.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.27 ₺13.16

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.93 ₺93.8

65.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.70 ₺132

151.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.17 ₺56.9

43.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.67 ₺81.5

31.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.73 ₺133

-37.36%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.58 ₺126

6.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.59 ₺418

11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.69 ₺277

58.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$24.40 ₺1,187

-47.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.44 ₺119

18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.37 ₺115

-36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.54 ₺74.9

39.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.06 ₺51.5

113.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.48 ₺23.16

312.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.37 ₺18.04

437.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.84 ₺41.11

46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.58 ₺28.04

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.09 ₺101

117.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.45 ₺460

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.70 ₺82.7

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.28 ₺111

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.56 ₺27.35

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.78 ₺525

167.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.90 ₺92.5

183.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.58 ₺28.00

543.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.12 ₺249

12.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.26 ₺61.1

22.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$41.9K ₺2.0M

-46.21%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$39.7K ₺1.9M

-34.32%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$89.1 ₺4,335

2.56%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$11.67 ₺568

115.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$12.58 ₺612

148.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$30.64 ₺1,491

119.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.10 ₺297

377.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.18 ₺203

16.27%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$261 ₺12.7K

-14.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$27.96 ₺1,361

68.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.69 ₺1,493

44.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$71.5 ₺3,477

12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$48.71 ₺2,370

90.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$357 ₺17.4K

197.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$255 ₺12.4K

53.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$759 ₺36.9K

183.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$615 ₺29.9K

106.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$986 ₺48.0K

305.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$663 ₺32.2K

881.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$927 ₺45.1K

-18.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-76.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Samsun: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $357 in Samsun. 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 22% higher in Samsun, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Samsun. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $259 in Samsun – so Samsun 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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,353 in Samsun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samsun, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $902 in Samsun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 167% less in Samsun. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samsun, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Samsun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samsun – 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 Samsun. 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.