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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $847 in Saryagash, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,367 in Saryagash, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,887 in Saryagash, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Saryagash, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saryagash are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Saryagash 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$9.83 ₸4,474

21.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$32.80 ₸14.9K

44.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$7.53 ₸3,426

56.04%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$2.23 ₸1,016

84.75%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$1.07 ₸489

30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$0.57 ₸260

59.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$1.41 ₸644

127.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$2.04 ₸928

246.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.29 ₸589

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$0.43 ₸196

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.48 ₸673

19.59%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$1.69 ₸771

66.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$10.13 ₸4,615

-9.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$5.52 ₸2,511

67.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$8.36 ₸3,808

51.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$1.49 ₸680

97.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$2.10 ₸954

-24.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$2.36 ₸1,073

-5.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$2.06 ₸936

14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$0.68 ₸311

192.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$0.48 ₸221

312.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$1.12 ₸509

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.88 ₸402

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$2.37 ₸1,077

94.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.44 ₸3,386

41.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$1.17 ₸532

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$1.92 ₸872

44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

$0.23 ₸105

160.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$16.91 ₸7,698

75.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$1.10 ₸503

376.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$0.71 ₸321

414.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$6.01 ₸2,734

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$0.59 ₸267

161.02%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$26.1K ₸11.9M

-12.51%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$29.6K ₸13.5M

-12.77%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$63.6 ₸28.9K

42.63%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$10.13 ₸4,611

148.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$15.46 ₸7,040

105.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$42.12 ₸19.2K

63.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$4.95 ₸2,255

-1.82%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$141 ₸64.0K

60.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$4,329 ₸2.0M

-3.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$54.5 ₸24.8K

-13.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$43.93 ₸20.0K

-1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$91.7 ₸41.7K

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$87.4 ₸39.8K

4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$341 ₸155.2K

218.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$226 ₸102.8K

81.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$657 ₸299.0K

200.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$479 ₸217.9K

167.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$1,067 ₸485.6K

279.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$844 ₸384.1K

694.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

19.25

-40.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $341 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Saryagash. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $195 – 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 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,271 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $847 in Saryagash. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Saryagash. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saryagash, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.