đA single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in SÄŤrjÄn, rent included.
đA couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $823 in SÄŤrjÄn, rent included.
đA family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,126 in SÄŤrjÄn, rent included.
đPlaya del Carmen costs about 144% more than SÄŤrjÄn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
đBoth Playa del Carmen and SÄŤrjÄn are more affordable than the global median â Playa del Carmen5% lower, SÄŤrjÄn61% lower.
Currency
đ˝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$4.08$4.08
190.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$17.03$17.03
151.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$4.63$4.63
130.02%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.68$0.68
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.01$1.01
-
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.11$1.11
210.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.43$0.43
248.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$1.02$1.02
-6.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
-
-
đ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$0.60$0.60
130.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.56$0.56
230.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.86$1.86
-13.44%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$1.19$1.19
117.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$3.42$3.42
141.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$3.23$3.23
159.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$9.94$9.94
7.24%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$0.87$0.87
202.30%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.36$1.36
9.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$0.86$0.86
123.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$0.58$0.58
260.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.48$0.48
287.50%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.49$0.49
361.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.59$0.59
79.66%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.25$0.25
336.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$0.63$0.63
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.46$0.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.44$1.44
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$2.14$2.14
93.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
-
-
đ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.21$0.21
157.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$9.89$9.89
172.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$0.34$0.34
820.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.29$0.29
765.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$2.03$2.03
55.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$0.73$0.73
73.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$72.6K$72.6K
-58.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$54.0K$54.0K
-56.38%
đ§ž Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$16.04$16.04
417.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$2.03$2.03
1018.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$5.63$5.63
423.27%
đ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$15.95$15.95
219.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$12.46$12.46
47.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$1.54$1.54
220.13%
𧸠Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$114$114
73.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$1,964$1,964
168.88%
đđ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$22.39$22.39
64.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$24.93$24.93
60.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$108$108
-26.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$69.2$69.2
29.27%
đ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$287$287
233.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$203$203
135.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$626$626
163.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$325$325
277.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$1,137$1,137
244.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$615$615
950.91%
đľ Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
SÄŤrjÄn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
22.24
-48.65%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for SÄŤrjÄn: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
đ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $287 in SÄŤrjÄn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
đA mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in SÄŤrjÄn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $107 â making SÄŤrjÄn 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 SÄŤrjÄn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is SÄŤrjÄn cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes â Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 144%, 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 $781 in SÄŤrjÄn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled â not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in SÄŤrjÄn, 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 SÄŤrjÄn?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $520 in SÄŤrjÄn. The difference isn't just one category â it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 172% less in SÄŤrjÄn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or SÄŤrjÄn?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in SÄŤrjÄn, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In SÄŤrjÄn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or SÄŤrjÄn more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward SÄŤrjÄn â 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 SÄŤrjÄn?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison â central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with SÄŤrjÄn. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared