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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Sosua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,265 in Sosua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,099 in Sosua, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Sosua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Sosua is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.09 DOP 593

14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$51.5 DOP 3,024

-8.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.84 DOP 461

51.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.45 DOP 144

62.45%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.12 DOP 66.0

27.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.69 DOP 40.42

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.61 DOP 154

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.60 DOP 212

88.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.37 DOP 80.7

22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.58 DOP 93.1

39.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.69 DOP 40.67

147.83%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.04 DOP 120

34.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.41 DOP 436

29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.72 DOP 336

57.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.77 DOP 398

89.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.14 DOP 184

-7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.85 DOP 50.2

76.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.76 DOP 162

-22.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.29 DOP 75.8

75.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.80 DOP 106

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.28 DOP 134

-12.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.70 DOP 41.00

75.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.41 DOP 23.95

192.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.42 DOP 318

-16.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.38 DOP 610

-0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.57 DOP 151

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.40 DOP 141

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.38 DOP 199

59.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.22 DOP 131

68.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.05 DOP 355

-4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.33 DOP 78.4

15.79%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$24.1K DOP 1.4M

-6.53%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.6K DOP 2.0M

-24.58%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$66.5 DOP 3,907

37.41%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$29.29 DOP 1,721

-13.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$34.18 DOP 2,008

-8.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.77 DOP 457

-37.45%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$260 DOP 15.3K

-13.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,548 DOP 443.5K

-43.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$46.07 DOP 2,707

2.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.41 DOP 2,786

-6.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$89.6 DOP 5,263

-10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$129 DOP 7,580

-28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$892 DOP 52.4K

19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$801 DOP 47.1K

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,765 DOP 103.7K

21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,554 DOP 91.3K

-18.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,862 DOP 109.4K

114.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,785 DOP 104.9K

264.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.56

-15.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sosua: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 in Sosua. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Sosua. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $206 in Sosua – so Sosua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sosua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sosua is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,146 in Sosua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,431 in Sosua. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $260 in Sosua. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Sosua at $1,431. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sosua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sosua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.