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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,933 in Sรจte, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,958 in Sรจte, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,982 in Sรจte, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Sรจte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sรจte is 44% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$207
$17.27 โ‚ฌ14.97
-31.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$749
$57.1 โ‚ฌ49.44
-24.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$186
$13.20 โ‚ฌ11.44
-19.32%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$60.2
$3.46 โ‚ฌ3.00
-0.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$26.24
$2.77 โ‚ฌ2.40
-45.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.56
$1.86 โ‚ฌ1.61
-48.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.8
$7.13 โ‚ฌ6.18
-57.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$80.4
$7.06 โ‚ฌ6.12
-34.70%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$24.01
$1.42 โ‚ฌ1.23
-2.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$1.63 โ‚ฌ1.41
13.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$28.11
$2.87 โ‚ฌ2.48
-43.90%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$45.26
$4.03 โ‚ฌ3.50
-35.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$144
$24.20 โ‚ฌ20.97
-65.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$146
$12.18 โ‚ฌ10.56
-31.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$186
$25.84 โ‚ฌ22.40
-58.75%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.89
$3.20 โ‚ฌ2.77
-17.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.96
$2.17 โ‚ฌ1.88
-31.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$33.50
$3.45 โ‚ฌ2.99
-44.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.41
$3.54 โ‚ฌ3.07
-40.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.42
$2.33 โ‚ฌ2.02
-20.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$39.47
$2.24 โ‚ฌ1.94
0.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.54
$1.65 โ‚ฌ1.43
-35.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.98
$0.82 โ‚ฌ0.71
32.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$72.4
$14.01 โ‚ฌ12.14
-70.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$181
$9.94 โ‚ฌ8.61
4.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$30.09
$3.50 โ‚ฌ3.03
-50.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.60
$3.52 โ‚ฌ3.05
-25.85%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.46
$1.87 โ‚ฌ1.62
-71.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$470
$49.19 โ‚ฌ42.63
-45.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.6
$5.27 โ‚ฌ4.56
-40.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.82
$1.96 โ‚ฌ1.70
28.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$55.0
$33.95 โ‚ฌ29.42
-90.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.25
$2.11 โ‚ฌ1.83
-39.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$530.1K
$37.9K โ‚ฌ32.8K
-19.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$411.3K
$38.4K โ‚ฌ33.2K
-38.57%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,449
$282 โ‚ฌ245
-70.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$396
$27.07 โ‚ฌ23.46
-16.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$514
$34.95 โ‚ฌ30.29
-15.71%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$890
$37.01 โ‚ฌ32.08
37.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$320
$18.24 โ‚ฌ15.81
0.49%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$86.0
$13.66 โ‚ฌ11.84
-63.91%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,444
$405 โ‚ฌ351
-51.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$92.1K
$8,199 โ‚ฌ7,106
-35.60%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$644
$86.1 โ‚ฌ74.6
-57.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$696
$45.30 โ‚ฌ39.26
-11.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,396
$88.4 โ‚ฌ76.6
-9.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,561
$159 โ‚ฌ138
-43.74%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.7K
$773 โ‚ฌ670
23.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,327
$606 โ‚ฌ526
-21.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.7K
$1,377 โ‚ฌ1,193
19.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.4K
$1,070 โ‚ฌ927
14.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$68.4K
$4,084 โ‚ฌ3,539
-4.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$112.7K
$3,124 โ‚ฌ2,707
106.78%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sรจte
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.6K
$2,311 โ‚ฌ2,003
-71.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3.64
213.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sรจte: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $773 in Sรจte. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 246% higher in Sรจte, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Sรจte. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $402 โ€“ making Playa del Carmen 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 Sรจte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sรจte cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ€“ Sรจte is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,900 in Sรจte. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Sรจte?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,933 in Sรจte. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 83% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Sรจte?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Sรจte at $1,933. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sรจte it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sรจte more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ€“ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Sรจte?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sรจte makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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