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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,023 in Sidon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,745 in Sidon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,468 in Sidon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Sidon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sidon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sidon 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.96 LBP 980.9K

7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-31.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.09 LBP 723.9K

31.52%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.28 LBP 293.3K

7.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.66 LBP 148.2K

-9.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.57 LBP 319.5K

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.13 LBP 459.0K

-13.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.79 LBP 160.0K

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.81 LBP 72.1K

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-10.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.19 LBP 285.9K

-21.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.11 LBP 994.0K

-24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.57 LBP 856.3K

-12.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

-4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

49.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.53 LBP 136.8K

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.14 LBP 101.7K

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

76.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 LBP 50.7K

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.46 LBP 220.0K

65.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.97 LBP 892.2K

3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.23 LBP 110.5K

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.20 LBP 196.8K

17.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.02 LBP 180.9K

-74.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.05 LBP 451.6K

-35.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.24 LBP 110.7K

100.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-83.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.96 LBP 86.1K

36.46%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-12.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-15.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$215 LBP 19.2M

-61.37%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.11 LBP 3.3M

-40.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.07 LBP 3.3M

-20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$32.44 LBP 2.9M

59.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

86.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.13 LBP 548.9K

-17.29%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$300 LBP 26.9M

-33.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,393 LBP 393.2M

18.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.7 LBP 6.4M

-48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.31 LBP 4.0M

-10.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$122 LBP 10.9M

-35.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$94.5 LBP 8.5M

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$246 LBP 22.0M

295.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$98.1 LBP 8.8M

376.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$598 LBP 53.6M

174.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$397 LBP 35.5M

207.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,019 LBP 91.2M

287.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$866 LBP 77.5M

650.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sidon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Sidon. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.0 in Sidon. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $235 in Sidon – so Sidon 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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,534 in Sidon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidon, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Sidon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $300 in Sidon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidon, where all-in costs run around $1,023, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sidon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sidon. 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.