Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sin el Fil Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sin el Fil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,138 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,774 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,411 in Sin el Fil, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Sin el Fil, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sin el Fil are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sin el Fil 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.84 LBP 970.5K

8.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$50.9 LBP 4.6M

-18.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.94 LBP 710.2K

34.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.09 LBP 276.2K

13.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

-3.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.94 LBP 83.8K

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.51 LBP 314.5K

-15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.13 LBP 459.1K

-13.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.76 LBP 157.9K

-21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.82 LBP 163.2K

-9.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.07 LBP 274.5K

-18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.92 LBP 708.7K

5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.75 LBP 872.8K

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

-7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.80 LBP 160.7K

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.10 LBP 98.2K

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.94 LBP 84.3K

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

28.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.44 LBP 218.8K

67.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.18 LBP 911.5K

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.23 LBP 110.1K

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.15 LBP 192.4K

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.11 LBP 457.1K

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.22 LBP 108.7K

104.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.35 LBP 1.8M

-84.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.94 LBP 83.8K

39.36%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.4K LBP 3.2B

-14.44%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-16.91%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$218 LBP 19.5M

-61.93%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.75 LBP 3.4M

-41.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$36.64 LBP 3.3M

-19.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$30.50 LBP 2.7M

69.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.17 LBP 909.9K

80.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.22 LBP 736.0K

-38.32%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$304 LBP 27.2M

-33.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,496 LBP 402.4M

15.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.0 LBP 6.4M

-47.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.40 LBP 4.0M

-10.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$99.3 LBP 8.9M

-21.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$70.1 LBP 6.3M

24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$304 LBP 27.2M

219.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$253 LBP 22.7M

84.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,003 LBP 89.7M

63.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$495 LBP 44.3M

146.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

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 Sin el Fil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $304 in Sin el Fil. 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 $51.0 in Sin el Fil. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $226 in Sin el Fil – so Sin el Fil 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 Sin el Fil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,707 in Sin el Fil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sin el Fil, 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 $1,138 in Sin el Fil. 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 $304 in Sin el Fil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sin el Fil, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sin el Fil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sin el Fil – 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 Sin el Fil. 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.