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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,089 in Sayulita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,754 in Sayulita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,419 in Sayulita, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Sayulita, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sayulita are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sayulita 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$10.49 MX$182

13.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$38.42 MX$668

11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.15 MX$142

29.94%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.32 MX$57.9

9.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.30 MX$22.56

13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.90 MX$15.61

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.15 MX$37.46

43.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.97 MX$69.1

12.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.48 MX$25.82

-3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.58 MX$44.90

-27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.62 MX$28.15

0.62%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.31 MX$40.20

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$8.19 MX$142

0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.85 MX$137

5.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.75 MX$187

3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.63 MX$45.70

0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.43 MX$24.94

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.77 MX$30.83

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.69 MX$29.47

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.90 MX$33.10

-5.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.95 MX$33.94

11.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.22 MX$21.22

-11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.99 MX$17.21

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.24 MX$73.8

-6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.04 MX$192

-7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.61 MX$28.02

7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.87 MX$49.96

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.61 MX$10.65

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.62 MX$45.55

19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.54 MX$26.83

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$8.06 MX$140

-61.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.27 MX$22.08

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$20.9K MX$364.2K

47.56%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$22.8K MX$396.1K

2.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$56.3 MX$980

45.61%

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$27.82 MX$484

6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$36.83 MX$641

40.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$16.14 MX$281

15.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.52 MX$78.7

9.96%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$206 MX$3,578

-3.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$3,584 MX$62.4K

47.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$52.8 MX$918

-31.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$39.65 MX$690

1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$91.5 MX$1,591

-12.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$79.7 MX$1,387

11.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$501 MX$8,710

92.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$394 MX$6,850

18.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$937 MX$16.3K

70.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$761 MX$13.2K

58.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,753 MX$30.5K

124.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,161 MX$20.2K

455.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

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 Sayulita: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $501 in Sayulita. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Sayulita. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 in Sayulita – 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 Sayulita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,634 in Sayulita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sayulita, 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 $1,089 in Sayulita. 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 $206 in Sayulita. 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 Sayulita, where all-in costs run around $1,089, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sayulita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sayulita – 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 Sayulita. 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.