Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Sixth of October City: $367 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Sixth of October City
🇪🇬 Egypt
$367
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Sixth of October City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Sixth of October City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $367 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Sixth of October City $367

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $591 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Sixth of October City $591

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $814 in Sixth of October City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Sixth of October City $814

Playa del Carmen costs about 228% more than Sixth of October City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sixth of October City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Sixth of October City 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$3.65 E£195
197.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$13.71 E£732
222.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$3.02 E£161
289.40%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$0.76 E£40.61
384.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.36 E£19.48
272.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.10 E£5.25
720.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$1.29 E£68.9
137.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$0.84 E£45.11
75.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.30 E£16.23
640.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$0.51 E£27.47
190.20%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.30 E£69.3
91.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$2.51 E£134
199.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$3.67 E£196
116.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$7.19 E£384
74.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.00 E£53.2
178.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$0.62 E£33.12
130.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$0.27 E£14.41
870.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$0.19 E£10.00
1026.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.35 E£18.73
477.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.23 E£12.21
765.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.22 E£11.73
418.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.17 E£9.16
605.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$1.61 E£85.8
164.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.16 E£8.69
231.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$0.34 E£17.89
1341.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.48 E£25.76
614.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$0.96 E£51.3
460.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$0.39 E£20.83
271.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$30.9K E£1.6M
-31.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$22.7K E£1.2M
1.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$17.41 E£929
390.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$3.81 E£204
515.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$8.11 E£433
250.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$46.68 E£2,493
33.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$6.39 E£341
348.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$2.36 E£126
116.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$38.85 E£2,075
417.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$1,113 E£59.4K
254.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$16.71 E£892
165.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$42.63 E£2,276
-3.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$75.2 E£4,017
-3.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$52.0 E£2,777
72.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$122 E£6,513
702.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$62.2 E£3,322
499.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$150 E£7,984
1024.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$94.0 E£5,019
1065.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$744 E£39.7K
430.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$185 E£9,869
3220.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sixth of October City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$256 E£13.7K
188.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
26
-55.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Sixth of October City: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Sixth of October City
$62 83.3% $311
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Sixth of October City
$81 * 68.5% $177
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Sixth of October City
$56 * 72.2% $144
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Sixth of October City
$29 78.6% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sixth of October City
$84 24.8% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Sixth of October City
$51 29% $21
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Sixth of October City
$3.4 * 93.4% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 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 188% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Sixth of October City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $81.0 – making Sixth of October City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇬 Sixth of October City
🕒 Local time
03:10 3:10 AM
11:10 11:10 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
368,650
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Sixth of October City 11,340 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Sixth of October City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Sixth of October City cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 228%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $551 in Sixth of October City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Sixth of October City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $367 in Sixth of October City. That's a gap of about 228%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.85 in Sixth of October City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Sixth of October City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sixth of October City, where all-in costs run around $367, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Sixth of October City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sixth of October City more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Sixth of October City?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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