Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Samsun

For one person, living is cheaper in Samsun: $940 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Samsun, Turkey
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Samsun
🇹🇷 Turkey
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Samsun

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Samsun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $940 in Samsun, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Samsun $940

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,631 in Samsun, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Samsun $1,631

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,321 in Samsun, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Samsun $2,321

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Samsun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Samsun 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$10.06 ₺502
8.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$59.3 ₺2,962
-26.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.45 ₺522
12.73%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$3.97 ₺198
-4.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$0.84 ₺41.93
52.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$0.29 ₺14.38
168.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$1.86 ₺92.8
70.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$2.03 ₺101
142.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.17 ₺58.6
20.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$1.94 ₺96.8
14.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$2.73 ₺137
-47.99%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$2.44 ₺122
3.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$8.20 ₺409
-11.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$5.53 ₺276
39.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$26.33 ₺1,316
-51.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.40 ₺120
15.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.34 ₺117
-41.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$1.46 ₺72.9
74.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$1.04 ₺51.9
103.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$0.44 ₺21.92
340.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$0.34 ₺16.83
455.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$0.82 ₺40.87
40.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.68 ₺33.78
73.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$2.16 ₺108
99.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$8.79 ₺439
13.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.61 ₺80.4
-1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$2.28 ₺114
17.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.60 ₺30.22
-8.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$11.88 ₺594
124.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$2.03 ₺101
144.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
$0.63 ₺31.30
428.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$6.33 ₺316
-15.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.29 ₺64.2
11.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$41.2K ₺2.1M
-49.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$39.0K ₺1.9M
-39.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$87.1 ₺4,354
-2.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$12.43 ₺621
88.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$12.50 ₺625
129.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$30.67 ₺1,533
86.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$5.89 ₺295
390.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$4.05 ₺202
26.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$256 ₺12.8K
-19.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$23.82 ₺1,190
81.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$30.41 ₺1,519
36.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$69.7 ₺3,481
6.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$60.4 ₺3,020
47.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$354 ₺17.7K
176.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$246 ₺12.3K
54.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$738 ₺36.9K
131.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$612 ₺30.6K
75.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$973 ₺48.6K
305.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$664 ₺33.2K
826.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Samsun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$934 ₺46.7K
-21.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
49
-76.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Samsun: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Samsun
$246 35.4% $135
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Samsun
$264 3.5% $8.9
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Samsun
$177 12.4% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Samsun
$112 18.1% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Samsun
$83 25.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Samsun
$39 42.4% $29
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Samsun
$19 61.4% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $354 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 27% 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $59 in Samsun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $264 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇹🇷 Samsun
🕒 Local time
20:07 8:07 PM
04:07 4:07 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
1,295,927
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 49.96 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 55.78 TRY (100 TRY = 1.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Samsun 11,000 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Samsun

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Samsun cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,410 in Samsun. 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 Samsun, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $354 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Samsun?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $940 in Samsun. That makes Samsun about 22% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 55% less in Samsun. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Samsun?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $940 in Samsun to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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