Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sixth of October City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sixth of October City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $388 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $697 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% more than Sixth of October City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sixth of October City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sixth of October City 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.05 E£262

132.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$34.98 E£1,816

18.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.58 E£186

197.21%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.93 E£48.48

278.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.29 E£14.81

420.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.13 E£6.81

646.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.17 E£61.0

152.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.93 E£152

51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.96 E£49.95

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.31 E£16.13

509.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.58 E£30.16

182.76%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.53 E£79.2

64.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.29 E£171

153.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.18 E£217

99.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.45 E£387

44.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.21 E£62.9

114.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.62 E£32.15

135.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.31 E£16.33

512.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.27 E£14.10

670.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.35 E£18.36

408.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.20 E£10.25

995.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.17 E£8.92

511.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.18 E£9.19

500.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.64 E£84.9

148.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.36 E£70.5

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.78 E£92.4

44.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.31 E£16.27

64.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.39 E£20.16

735.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.43 E£22.29

479.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.02 E£52.8

218.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.30 E£15.32

336.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.0K E£1.8M

-13.59%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$32.9K E£1.7M

-28.83%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$12.09 E£627

585.44%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.17 E£528

118.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$4.93 E£256

495.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$49.71 E£2,580

3.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$2.61 E£135

94.25%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$41.36 E£2,147

385.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,189 E£61.7K

338.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$17.61 E£914

109.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$43.51 E£2,258

-8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$78.9 E£4,093

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$54.1 E£2,806

61.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$59.9 E£3,109

1523.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$34.95 E£1,814

1238.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$160 E£8,315

924.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$97.8 E£5,075

1148.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$772 E£40.1K

411.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$195 E£10.1K

3226.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$271 E£14.1K

145.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-42.90%

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 Sixth of October City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.9 in Sixth of October City. 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 145% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Sixth of October City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $101 – making Sixth of October City 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 Sixth of October City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 234%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $583 in Sixth of October City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sixth of October City, 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 $388 in Sixth of October City. 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 $41.36 in Sixth of October City. 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 Sixth of October City, where all-in costs run around $388, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sixth of October City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sixth of October City – 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 Sixth of October City. 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.