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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Songkhla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,358 in Songkhla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,875 in Songkhla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Songkhla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Songkhla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Songkhla 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.78 ฿58.7

571.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$22.16 ฿732

113.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.93 ฿163

138.34%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.59 ฿52.7

159.12%

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

$1.40 MX$23.75

$0.68 ฿22.59

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.23 ฿7.58

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.86 ฿61.4

72.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.90 ฿162

44.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.46

$1.63 ฿53.9

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.50

$0.93 ฿30.72

131.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.11

$1.77 ฿58.6

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.78

$1.41 ฿46.53

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$16.37 ฿541

-43.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.62 ฿86.5

252.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.37 ฿343

21.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.14 ฿104

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.80

$1.80 ฿59.5

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.72

$2.16 ฿71.4

2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.11

$1.29 ฿42.51

82.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.82

$1.52 ฿50.1

30.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.60

$1.74 ฿57.6

13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.05

$1.13 ฿37.31

9.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.56

$0.97 ฿31.97

24.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.48 ฿148

2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$13.77 ฿455

-23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.71

$1.58 ฿52.3

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.09

$4.68 ฿155

-40.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.23

$0.95 ฿31.41

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$62.0 ฿2,049

-52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.9

$1.27 ฿41.86

312.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.78 ฿25.79

367.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.2

$3.96 ฿131

45.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.11

$1.23 ฿40.54

25.20%

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

$22.8K MX$387.0K

$27.1K ฿893.9K

-15.72%

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

$25.8K MX$438.1K

$31.8K ฿1.1M

-18.92%

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

$90.7 MX$1,539

$87.3 ฿2,883

3.92%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$12.89 ฿426

95.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$18.38 ฿607

72.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,168

$48.44 ฿1,601

42.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$14.70 ฿486

99.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.06 ฿200

-19.80%

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

$226 MX$3,830

$566 ฿18.7K

-60.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$10.8K ฿358.5K

-61.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$52.4 ฿1,731

-9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.24 ฿1,131

26.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,362

$68.8 ฿2,273

16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,551

$77.3 ฿2,555

18.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$246 ฿8,114

342.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,936

$177 ฿5,846

130.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$603 ฿19.9K

226.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$426 ฿14.1K

201.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$2,124 ฿70.2K

90.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.8K

$1,581 ฿52.2K

323.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$801 ฿26.5K

-3.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.33

22.72%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Songkhla. 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 4% higher in Songkhla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Songkhla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $242 – making Songkhla 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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,261 in Songkhla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Songkhla, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $840 in Songkhla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 109% less in Songkhla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Songkhla, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Songkhla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Songkhla – 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 Songkhla. 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.