๐A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,597 in Skuteฤ, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,288 in Skuteฤ, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,978 in Skuteฤ, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 19% cheaper than Skuteฤ, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Skuteฤ is 19% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$8.77Kฤย 183
33.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$721
$44.12Kฤย 920
-5.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$8.96Kฤย 187
18.75%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$61.0
$2.97Kฤย 61.9
18.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.17
$1.90Kฤย 39.65
-20.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.87
$1.39Kฤย 29.04
-30.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.1
$2.33Kฤย 48.65
26.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.2
$2.79Kฤย 58.2
59.50%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.97
$1.15Kฤย 23.89
20.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.78
$1.46Kฤย 30.34
29.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.37
$2.33Kฤย 48.58
-29.61%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.42
$3.02Kฤย 63.0
-16.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$12.29Kฤย 256
-32.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$9.14Kฤย 191
-8.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$12.99Kฤย 271
-17.40%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.12
$1.71Kฤย 35.60
52.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.25
$1.76Kฤย 36.73
-17.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.94
$2.19Kฤย 45.56
-13.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.98
$3.52Kฤย 73.3
-40.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.77
$1.25Kฤย 26.12
42.40%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.87
$1.19Kฤย 24.86
84.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$18.02
$1.54Kฤย 32.05
-32.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.66
$0.75Kฤย 15.68
44.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.7
$6.98Kฤย 145
-41.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$179
$7.54Kฤย 157
36.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.67
$0.92Kฤย 19.16
85.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.63
$1.93Kฤย 40.15
33.68%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.83
$1.16Kฤย 24.15
-56.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$459
$26.05Kฤย 543
1.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.5
$2.20Kฤย 45.77
48.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.17
$1.33Kฤย 27.64
87.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.3
$14.42Kฤย 301
-77.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.65
$1.74Kฤย 36.23
-24.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$524.7K
$28.4KKฤย 592.2K
6.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.0K
$30.0KKฤย 626.4K
-22.02%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,436
$288Kฤย 6,014
-71.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$385
$27.13Kฤย 566
-18.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$508
$20.92Kฤย 436
40.25%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$895
$53.4Kฤย 1,113
-3.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
$16.62Kฤย 346
10.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.8
$10.22Kฤย 213
-50.39%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,480
$411Kฤย 8,569
-51.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.3K
$10.2KKฤย 212.3K
-48.83%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$640
$81.6Kฤย 1,701
-54.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$689
$37.22Kฤย 776
6.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,360
$94.6Kฤย 1,972
-17.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,509
$109Kฤย 2,279
-20.33%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.9K
$672Kฤย 14.0K
44.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,105
$561Kฤย 11.7K
-16.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$1,153Kฤย 24.0K
42.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.2K
$864Kฤย 18.0K
41.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.4K
$4,499Kฤย 93.8K
-12.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.6K
$3,507Kฤย 73.1K
85.26%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Skuteฤ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
$1,325Kฤย 27.6K
-49.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.45
109.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Last update for Skuteฤ: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $672 in Skuteฤ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐ฐSalaries run about 100% higher in Skuteฤ, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Skuteฤ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $259 โ 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 Skuteฤ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skuteฤ cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Skuteฤ is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,396 in Skuteฤ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 Skuteฤ?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,597 in Skuteฤ. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 2% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Skuteฤ?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Skuteฤ at $1,597. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skuteฤ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Skuteฤ more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ 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 Skuteฤ?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skuteฤ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared