Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sark

For one person, living is cheaper in Sark: $238 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Sark, Guernsey
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Sark
🇬🇬 Guernsey
$238
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Sark actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $238 in Sark, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Sark $238

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $410 in Sark, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Sark $410

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $581 in Sark, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Sark $581

Playa del Carmen costs about 405% more than Sark, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sark are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Sark 82% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$813
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.4
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.03
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.67
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.5
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
$2.79 GGP 2.08
-49.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.54
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.56
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.27
$6.89 GGP 5.14
-63.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.2
$5.15 GGP 3.84
-46.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.64
$4.49 GGP 3.36
-69.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.80
$3.93 GGP 2.94
-35.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.78
$5.85 GGP 4.37
-63.76%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.32
$3.09 GGP 2.31
-37.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.34
$3.26 GGP 2.44
-42.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.49
$3.54 GGP 2.64
-67.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.09
$2.03 GGP 1.51
-41.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.5
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.67
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.37
$2.37 GGP 1.77
-76.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$499
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.1
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.4
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.06
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$387.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$439.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,589
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$21.60 GGP 16.13
8.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$537
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,069
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$542
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.3
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,871
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$812
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$777
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,390
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,672
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,136
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sark
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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 Sark: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Sark
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Sark
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Sark
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Sark
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sark
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Sark
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Sark
–
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇬 Sark
🕒 Local time
10:12 10:12 AM
15:12 3:12 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
562
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.747 GGP (1 GGP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.834 GGP (1 GGP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Sark 7,890 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Sark

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 Sark: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sark cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 405%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $358 in Sark. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Sark?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $238 in Sark. That makes Sark about 80% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Sark?
Groceries cost about 23% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Sark?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sark, where all-in costs run around $238, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Sark it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Sark?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $238 in Sark 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

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?