Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sangre Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sangre Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,138 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,829 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,520 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Sangre Grande, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sangre Grande are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sangre Grande 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.40 TTD 56.8

41.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$40.01 TTD 270

7.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.27 TTD 49.17

46.49%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.68 TTD 24.87

-6.25%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.04 TTD 7.04

44.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.82 TTD 5.55

15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.88 TTD 12.73

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.02 TTD 20.39

52.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.75 TTD 18.62

-49.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.39 TTD 16.16

-22.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.61 TTD 17.63

-38.31%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.95 TTD 33.46

-47.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.60 TTD 51.4

8.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.78 TTD 32.30

75.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.05 TTD 68.0

6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.04 TTD 20.58

-13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.91 TTD 6.13

63.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.91 TTD 19.66

-34.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.16 TTD 14.62

-3.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.50 TTD 10.16

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.67 TTD 11.31

35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.49 TTD 10.08

-28.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.16 TTD 7.86

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.04 TTD 27.35

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.58 TTD 126

-44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.14 TTD 14.46

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.76 TTD 18.65

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.19 TTD 8.02

-54.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$129 TTD 870

-79.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.04 TTD 7.06

200.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.00 TTD 6.79

151.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$15.02 TTD 102

-79.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.05 TTD 7.08

20.95%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$33.5K TTD 226.4K

-9.31%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$36.8K TTD 249.0K

-36.01%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$81.0 TTD 548

2.48%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$46.28 TTD 313

-50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$62.5 TTD 423

-52.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$44.43 TTD 300

14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.48 TTD 50.6

145.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.20 TTD 69.0

-51.67%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$180 TTD 1,215

9.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,141 TTD 48.3K

-26.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.0 TTD 406

-38.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$38.94 TTD 263

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$74.3 TTD 502

7.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$131 TTD 883

-31.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$271 TTD 1,834

252.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$180 TTD 1,214

165.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$587 TTD 3,970

180.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$437 TTD 2,956

180.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$584 TTD 3,949

14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sangre Grande: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Sangre Grande. 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 14% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Sangre Grande. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $283 in Sangre Grande – so Playa del Carmen 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 Sangre Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,707 in Sangre Grande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sangre Grande, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,138 in Sangre Grande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 378% less in Sangre Grande. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sangre Grande, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sangre Grande it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sangre Grande – 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 Sangre Grande. 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.