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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $394 in Solan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $636 in Solan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $878 in Solan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 220% more than Solan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Solan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Solan 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.38 ₹129

745.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$17.73 ₹1,664

136.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.98 ₹374

161.31%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.10 ₹198

71.90%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.33 ₹31.44

345.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.13 ₹11.75

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.37 ₹223

27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.52 ₹330

26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.45 ₹42.44

206.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.54 ₹50.3

240.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.46 ₹42.77

250.00%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$0.82 ₹77.0

213.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.89 ₹365

118.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.54 ₹238

234.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.87 ₹176

45.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.76 ₹71.2

97.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.60 ₹56.5

226.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.49 ₹45.74

332.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.36 ₹33.87

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.46 ₹43.11

371.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.32 ₹30.09

234.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.36 ₹34.07

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.18 ₹298

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.25 ₹680

41.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.16 ₹202

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$4.36 ₹409

-42.89%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.40 ₹507

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₹25.99

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$8.61 ₹808

205.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.59 ₹55.7

425.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$1.46 ₹137

121.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.08 ₹101

16.67%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$14.1K ₹1.3M

113.87%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$21.3K ₹2.0M

10.03%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$50.5 ₹4,738

66.38%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$2.83 ₹266

684.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$8.19 ₹769

262.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$16.11 ₹1,512

226.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$7.17 ₹673

155.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.37 ₹222

108.86%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$91.2 ₹8,562

117.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,680 ₹157.7K

216.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$28.91 ₹2,714

24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$26.48 ₹2,485

51.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$45.34 ₹4,255

73.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$31.24 ₹2,932

176.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$126 ₹11.8K

677.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$74.7 ₹7,013

530.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$271 ₹25.4K

488.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$182 ₹17.1K

568.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,073 ₹100.8K

275.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$587 ₹55.1K

1020.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.81

16.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Solan: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Solan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $18 in Solan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $100 – making Solan 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 Solan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 220%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $591 in Solan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Solan, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $394 in Solan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 205% less in Solan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Solan, where all-in costs run around $394, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Solan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Solan – 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 Solan. 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.