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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $398 in Solan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Solan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in Solan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 219% more than Solan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Solan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Solan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$1.36 ₹130

772.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$17.63 ₹1,681

143.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$4.17 ₹397

155.40%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.08 ₹199

65.87%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.36 ₹34.62

316.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.11 ₹10.73

763.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.35 ₹224

28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.55 ₹338

29.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$0.46 ₹43.65

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.57 ₹54.8

224.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.49 ₹46.62

228.57%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$0.76 ₹72.7

240.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$3.81 ₹363

116.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$2.51 ₹239

233.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$1.89 ₹180

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$0.75 ₹71.7

98.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$0.57 ₹54.0

236.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$0.48 ₹45.63

335.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.37 ₹34.88

402.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$0.48 ₹45.79

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.30 ₹28.31

253.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.34 ₹32.34

220.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$3.12 ₹297

33.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$6.93 ₹660

49.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.07 ₹197

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$4.23 ₹403

-38.30%

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

$5.48 ₹523

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.30 ₹28.74

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$8.82 ₹841

205.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.60 ₹57.4

421.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.44 ₹137

118.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.08 ₹103

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

122.08%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$21.0K ₹2.0M

12.36%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$51.3 ₹4,889

61.86%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$2.94 ₹280

672.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$8.18 ₹780

260.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$15.68 ₹1,495

225.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$7.14 ₹681

156.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$2.30 ₹219

114.35%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$93.2 ₹8,882

111.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$1,729 ₹164.9K

205.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$28.20 ₹2,689

30.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$26.31 ₹2,508

51.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$45.89 ₹4,375

74.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$31.11 ₹2,966

187.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$125 ₹11.9K

665.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$77.7 ₹7,405

514.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$271 ₹25.8K

507.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$184 ₹17.5K

566.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,068 ₹101.8K

266.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$482 ₹45.9K

1241.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Solan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Solan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $98.0 – 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 219%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $597 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $398 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 $398, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.