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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $388 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $622 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 233% 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 6% lower, Sixth of October City 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.01 E£204

192.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$789

$14.73 E£749

216.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.12 E£159

273.40%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.3

$0.81 E£40.99

404.94%

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

$1.37 MX$23.28

$0.36 E£18.14

280.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.12

$0.10 E£4.88

730.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.8

$1.41 E£71.9

137.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.26

$0.88 E£44.72

96.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.29

$0.29 E£14.69

679.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.98

$0.55 E£27.75

221.82%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.29

$1.41 E£71.6

93.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$2.63 E£134

249.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.02 E£205

121.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$7.85 E£399

60.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$1.05 E£53.3

187.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.61

$0.67 E£34.02

134.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.01

$0.31 E£15.88

587.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.36

$0.21 E£10.67

976.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.95

$0.38 E£19.17

426.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.98

$0.25 E£12.69

724.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.99

$0.26 E£13.27

353.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.40

$0.14 E£7.34

757.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.5

$1.72 E£87.4

169.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.71

$0.22 E£11.23

159.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.3

$0.35 E£18.05

1457.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.8

$0.48 E£24.27

670.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.00 E£50.7

498.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.32

$0.41 E£20.83

278.05%

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

$22.3K MX$378.3K

$32.8K E£1.7M

-31.82%

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

$25.9K MX$439.6K

$23.5K E£1.2M

10.52%

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

$89.1 MX$1,510

$18.92 E£962

371.09%

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

$25.04 MX$424

$4.20 E£214

496.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$534

$8.98 E£457

250.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,148

$49.16 E£2,501

37.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$490

$6.95 E£353

316.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.6

$2.54 E£129

98.82%

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

$225 MX$3,811

$41.51 E£2,112

441.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.5K

$1,195 E£60.8K

253.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$804

$16.75 E£852

183.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$762

$45.10 E£2,294

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,389

$77.6 E£3,949

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,560

$54.5 E£2,774

68.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$130 E£6,636

719.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,867

$66.8 E£3,400

506.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.8K

$156 E£7,948

1138.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$99.8 E£5,075

1204.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.7K

$783 E£39.8K

410.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.3K

$197 E£10.0K

3269.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$276 E£14.0K

171.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-55.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 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 171% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Sixth of October City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $87.0 – 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 233%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $582 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 $1,293 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 $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $41.51 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 $1,293. 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.