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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $817 in Sitrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in Sitrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,795 in Sitrah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Sitrah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sitrah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sitrah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.51 BHD 2.46

80.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$53.8 BHD 20.28

-22.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.56 BHD 2.85

40.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.37 BHD 2.03

-34.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.85 BHD 0.32

77.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.39 BHD 0.15

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$7.96 BHD 3.00

-62.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$10.51 BHD 3.96

-57.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.73 BHD 0.65

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.35 BHD 0.51

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.39 BHD 0.90

-31.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.40 BHD 0.91

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.83 BHD 3.33

-5.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.61 BHD 2.87

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.01 BHD 3.78

7.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.37 BHD 0.89

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.10 BHD 0.79

-30.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.74 BHD 0.66

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.21 BHD 0.46

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.93 BHD 0.35

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.03 BHD 0.39

112.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.46 BHD 0.55

-28.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.91 BHD 0.34

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.69 BHD 2.52

-39.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$18.26 BHD 6.88

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$3.35 BHD 1.26

-48.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.21 BHD 1.21

-19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.53 BHD 1.71

-28.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.86 BHD 1.46

-35.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$26.89 BHD 10.14

-87.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.55 BHD 0.21

138.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$36.6K BHD 13.8K

-17.29%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.1K BHD 7,954

11.05%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$122 BHD 46.01

-32.10%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.25 BHD 10.27

-18.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$38.04 BHD 14.34

-22.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$10.49 BHD 3.95

-51.67%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$393 BHD 148

-48.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$9,047 BHD 3,411

-42.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$46.30 BHD 17.46

-20.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$63.8 BHD 24.05

-37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$82.9 BHD 31.25

-5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$87.9 BHD 33.12

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,683 BHD 634

-60.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.56

33.41%

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 Sitrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 153% higher in Sitrah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Sitrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $263 – 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 Sitrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,225 in Sitrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $817 in Sitrah. 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 $393 in Sitrah. 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 Sitrah, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sitrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sitrah – 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 Sitrah. 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.