Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saryagash Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saryagash

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $731 in Saryagash, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Saryagash, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,590 in Saryagash, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Saryagash, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saryagash are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Saryagash 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$7.84 ₸3,672

48.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$725

$27.62 ₸12.9K

51.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$6.66 ₸3,116

56.16%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.84 ₸860

96.20%

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

$1.47 MX$25.44

$0.93 ₸434

58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.79

$0.49 ₸228

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$1.14 ₸534

165.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.91 ₸894

134.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.82

$1.13 ₸530

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.91

$0.38 ₸179

384.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.80

$1.41 ₸662

14.18%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.49

$1.57 ₸736

63.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.71 ₸4,077

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.54 ₸2,127

87.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.08 ₸3,313

55.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.23

$1.33 ₸623

105.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.90

$1.95 ₸915

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.91

$1.91 ₸895

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.68

$1.90 ₸891

11.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.28

$0.55 ₸259

238.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.65

$0.40 ₸189

442.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.01 ₸471

5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.17

$0.77 ₸360

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$1.90 ₸887

120.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.98 ₸3,733

28.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.85

$0.98 ₸457

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.53 ₸716

62.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.19 ₸90.6

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.02 ₸476

203.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.64

$0.63 ₸295

290.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$4.55 ₸2,131

-28.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.82

$0.46 ₸215

173.91%

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

$30.2K MX$522.5K

$20.1K ₸9.4M

50.05%

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

$23.4K MX$406.1K

$24.1K ₸11.3M

-2.69%

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

$84.0 MX$1,455

$49.79 ₸23.3K

68.69%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.75 ₸4,094

153.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$12.96 ₸6,064

128.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$32.82 ₸15.4K

60.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$4.47 ₸2,092

10.74%

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

$198 MX$3,436

$215 ₸100.4K

-7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$4,956 ₸2.3M

7.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$56.1 ₸26.3K

-35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$34.68 ₸16.2K

15.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$88.7 ₸41.5K

-11.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$79.6 ₸37.2K

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$309 ₸144.6K

216.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,153

$202 ₸94.7K

132.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$528 ₸247.3K

201.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.0K

$397 ₸186.0K

205.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.8K

$1,010 ₸472.9K

299.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$113.9K

$795 ₸372.0K

727.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

18.39

-37.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $309 in Saryagash. 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $28 in Saryagash. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $172 – making Saryagash 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 Saryagash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,096 in Saryagash. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saryagash, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $731 in Saryagash. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $215 in Saryagash. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saryagash, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Saryagash it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saryagash – 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 Saryagash. 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.