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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $699 in Soroca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,077 in Soroca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,455 in Soroca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Soroca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Soroca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Soroca 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.66 MDL 149

35.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$36.01 MDL 619

15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.79 MDL 134

36.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.79 MDL 30.69

96.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.94 MDL 16.09

60.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.69 MDL 11.85

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.73 MDL 29.68

70.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.39 MDL 41.02

86.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.25 MDL 21.48

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.55 MDL 9.51

243.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.44 MDL 24.70

13.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.64 MDL 45.30

-4.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.24 MDL 176

-18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.34 MDL 91.7

56.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.05 MDL 156

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.90 MDL 15.41

188.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.74 MDL 29.93

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.75 MDL 30.15

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.08 MDL 35.71

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.83 MDL 14.34

114.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.55 MDL 9.48

298.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.36 MDL 23.45

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.89 MDL 15.24

21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.16 MDL 54.3

29.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.21 MDL 20.89

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.93 MDL 33.17

33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 MDL 4.79

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.99 MDL 34.29

63.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.25 MDL 4.29

896.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.32 MDL 91.5

-38.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.37 MDL 23.51

-4.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$32.5K MDL 559.0K

-6.89%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$30.7K MDL 527.4K

-23.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$175 MDL 3,006

-52.61%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.39 MDL 127

200.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$10.95 MDL 188

167.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.62 MDL 131

-33.46%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$385 MDL 6,622

-47.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,749 MDL 133.2K

-32.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$65.7 MDL 1,129

-43.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.4 MDL 918

-25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$113 MDL 1,938

-30.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$122 MDL 2,095

-28.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$517 MDL 8,885

28.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.24

23.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Soroca: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 28% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Soroca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $181 – 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 86%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,048 in Soroca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $699 in Soroca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $385 in Soroca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.