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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,158 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,873 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,588 in Sangre Grande, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% 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 4% lower, Sangre Grande 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$8.55 TTD 58.0

39.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$40.59 TTD 276

5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.37 TTD 50.0

43.69%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.65 TTD 24.75

-0.82%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.04 TTD 7.07

41.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.82 TTD 5.59

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.90 TTD 12.93

62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.13 TTD 21.28

42.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.63 TTD 17.88

-45.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.36 TTD 16.00

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.58 TTD 17.53

-36.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$5.06 TTD 34.34

-47.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$7.79 TTD 52.9

5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.93 TTD 33.49

68.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.09 TTD 68.5

10.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.94 TTD 19.93

-9.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.93 TTD 6.30

61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.87 TTD 19.51

-30.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.16 TTD 14.68

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.47 TTD 10.01

21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.72 TTD 11.70

26.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.45 TTD 9.83

-25.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.15 TTD 7.82

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.05 TTD 27.52

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$19.75 TTD 134

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.14 TTD 14.54

-19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.83 TTD 19.18

-11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.19 TTD 8.09

-56.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$127 TTD 861

-78.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.06 TTD 7.18

196.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.06 TTD 7.20

126.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$14.60 TTD 99.2

-78.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.01 TTD 6.87

25.74%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$34.5K TTD 234.0K

-10.38%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$36.3K TTD 246.3K

-35.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$81.1 TTD 551

1.10%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$47.59 TTD 323

-52.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$62.3 TTD 423

-52.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$44.71 TTD 304

16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$7.45 TTD 50.6

150.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$9.81 TTD 66.6

-49.34%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$176 TTD 1,194

12.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$7,322 TTD 49.7K

-27.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$59.7 TTD 406

-39.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$38.89 TTD 264

2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$74.1 TTD 503

7.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$126 TTD 856

-29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$271 TTD 1,840

255.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$179 TTD 1,216

159.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$591 TTD 4,012

170.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$452 TTD 3,068

167.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$594 TTD 4,034

21.25%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sangre Grande: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 21% 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 $41.00 in Sangre Grande. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $285 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 11%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,737 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,158 in Sangre Grande. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 370% 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 $1,158, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.