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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,012 in Samsun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,508 in Samsun, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,005 in Samsun, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Samsun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Samsun are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Samsun 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.59 ₺360

54.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$25.65 ₺1,218

63.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.13 ₺434

15.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$2.71 ₺129

32.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$1.24 ₺58.9

21.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.24 ₺11.30

283.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.78 ₺132

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$3.03 ₺144

45.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.06 ₺50.1

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$0.36 ₺17.32

422.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$3.91 ₺186

-60.10%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$1.70 ₺80.7

53.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.64 ₺411

-3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$9.98 ₺474

-16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$18.81 ₺894

-42.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$1.24 ₺59.0

118.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$1.17 ₺55.6

29.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$0.92 ₺43.58

103.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$1.25 ₺59.5

75.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$0.62 ₺29.36

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$0.62 ₺29.30

259.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$0.78 ₺37.16

37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.71 ₺33.90

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$2.05 ₺97.6

104.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$9.61 ₺456

8.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.98 ₺94.3

-16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$2.56 ₺122

1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$0.56 ₺26.52

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$9.60 ₺456

172.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.26 ₺107

36.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$0.61 ₺28.76

293.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$4.68 ₺222

-33.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.13 ₺53.5

15.93%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$43.7K ₺2.1M

-31.78%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$49.4K ₺2.3M

-52.78%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$49.84 ₺2,368

63.08%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$10.88 ₺517

107.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$11.45 ₺544

162.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$83.8 ₺3,981

-36.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$5.75 ₺273

-14.43%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$513 ₺24.4K

-60.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$3,833 ₺182.1K

35.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$38.57 ₺1,832

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$44.57 ₺2,118

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$90.4 ₺4,296

-11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$43.60 ₺2,071

98.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$498 ₺23.7K

96.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$335 ₺15.9K

40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$713 ₺33.9K

131.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$518 ₺24.6K

132.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$759 ₺36.0K

421.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$421 ₺20.0K

1467.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$971 ₺46.1K

-30.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

43.33

-73.64%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samsun: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $498 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 44% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Samsun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $241 – making Samsun the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 25%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,518 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,012 in Samsun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 173% 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 $1,012, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.