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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,146 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,858 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,571 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.55 TTD 57.4

37.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$39.93 TTD 268

4.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.17 TTD 48.18

46.58%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.67 TTD 24.67

-2.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.09 TTD 7.33

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.81 TTD 5.46

13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.88 TTD 12.65

57.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.06 TTD 20.55

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.72 TTD 18.26

-48.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.39 TTD 16.06

-21.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.62 TTD 17.57

-40.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$5.07 TTD 34.02

-48.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.96 TTD 53.4

4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.77 TTD 32.01

75.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.86 TTD 66.2

10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.94 TTD 19.75

-7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.91 TTD 6.12

65.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.91 TTD 19.51

-35.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.26 TTD 15.19

-3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.42 TTD 9.56

30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.65 TTD 11.10

35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.52 TTD 10.21

-29.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.17 TTD 7.83

-6.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.07 TTD 27.34

2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.42 TTD 117

-40.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.15 TTD 14.41

-22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.81 TTD 18.84

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.14 TTD 7.66

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$131 TTD 880

-80.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.05 TTD 7.08

193.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.01 TTD 6.79

137.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$14.95 TTD 100

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.05 TTD 7.08

24.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$33.9K TTD 227.4K

-12.00%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$37.3K TTD 250.2K

-37.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$79.2 TTD 532

2.67%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$47.13 TTD 316

-52.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$62.7 TTD 421

-52.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$44.34 TTD 298

19.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.43 TTD 49.89

147.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.89 TTD 66.4

-50.25%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$179 TTD 1,205

11.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$7,250 TTD 48.7K

-28.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$58.6 TTD 393

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.75 TTD 253

6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.5 TTD 500

7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$126 TTD 845

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$270 TTD 1,816

261.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$175 TTD 1,178

168.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$602 TTD 4,043

174.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$439 TTD 2,947

174.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sangre Grande: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Sangre Grande. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $281 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 10%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,718 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,146 in Sangre Grande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 401% 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 $1,146, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.