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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $400 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $653 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Soroca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 226% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Soroca 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.40 MDL 196

4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$23.28 MDL 399

103.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.76 MDL 81.7

146.85%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.49 MDL 25.57

176.51%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.72 MDL 12.31

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.48 MDL 8.17

89.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.14 MDL 19.60

181.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.47 MDL 25.14

380.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.06 MDL 18.18

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.37 MDL 6.29

481.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.19 MDL 20.43

48.74%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.03 MDL 34.76

38.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.05 MDL 35.13

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.64 MDL 10.98

210.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.54 MDL 9.19

124.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.18 MDL 20.28

344.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.63 MDL 28.00

-5.52%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$20.8K MDL 357.8K

23.80%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$62.0 MDL 1,063

46.34%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$8.68 MDL 149

190.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$13.53 MDL 232

134.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$28.71 MDL 493

139.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.40 MDL 58.3

42.94%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$34.45 MDL 591

37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.57 MDL 593

25.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$109 MDL 1,863

-26.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$34.91 MDL 599

161.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$514 MDL 8,825

50.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Soroca: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 50% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $48.00 – making Soroca 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 Soroca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 226%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $600 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 481% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 in Soroca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Soroca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Soroca. 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.