Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Say'un

For one person, living is cheaper in Say’un: $90.4 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Say'un, Yemen
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Say'un
🇾🇪 Yemen
$90.4
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Say'un

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

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $90 in Say’un, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Say'un $90

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $151 in Say’un, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Say'un $151

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $211 in Say’un, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Say'un $211

Playa del Carmen costs about 1231% more than Say’un, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Say’un are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Say’un 93% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$200
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$819
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$220
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.8
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.26
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.59
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.9
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.3
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.35
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.07
$1.08 YER 255
103.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.54
$2.17 YER 511
-32.26%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.70
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$149
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$241
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.2
$2.25 YER 531
28.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.87
$2.23 YER 526
-38.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.59
$2.26 YER 534
10.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.97
$2.14 YER 504
-5.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.88
$2.15 YER 507
-6.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.60
$2.23 YER 526
-14.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.41
$0.99 YER 232
15.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.17
$0.97 YER 229
27.84%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.45 YER 343
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.9
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$184
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.66
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.3
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.63
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$512
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.1
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.8
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.58
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$396.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$435.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,562
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$434
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$516
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,056
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$527
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.5
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,873
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$813
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$796
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,361
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,653
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,152
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Say'un
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.6K
-
-
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Say'un: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Say'un
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Say'un
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Say'un
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Say'un
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Say'un
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Say'un
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Say'un
–
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇾🇪 Say'un
🕒 Local time
15:37 3:37 PM
23:37 11:37 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
48,037
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

YER, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 264 YER (1,000 YER = 3.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Say'un 13,710 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Say'un

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 Say'un: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Say’un cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1231%, 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 $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $136 in Say’un. 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 Say’un?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $90 in Say’un. That makes Say’un about 92% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Say’un?
Groceries cost about 185% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Say’un?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Say’un, where all-in costs run around $90, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Say’un 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 Say’un?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $90 in Say’un to $1,202 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?