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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $740 in Suchitoto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,187 in Suchitoto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,633 in Suchitoto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Suchitoto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suchitoto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Suchitoto 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.99 $7.99

46.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.96 $34.96

19.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.13 $7.13

49.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.30 $3.30

6.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.09 $1.09

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.91 $0.91

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.96 $1.96

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.92 $2.92

52.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.80 $1.80

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.05 $2.05

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 $1.55

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.81 $2.81

-10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.95 $6.95

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.87 $6.87

21.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.01 $11.01

-2.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.27 $3.27

-20.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.71 $1.71

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.56 $2.56

-25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.71 $2.71

-23.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.15 $2.15

-17.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.20 $2.20

-0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.95 $0.95

9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.04 $1.04

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.92 $3.92

4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.09 $11.09

-6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.74 $1.74

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.51 $2.51

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.62 $5.62

-41.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.04 $3.04

-18.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.34 $20.34

-84.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.04 $1.04

25.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

19.67%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.6K $28.6K

-18.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$102 $102

-19.06%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.40 $19.40

14.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$41.28 $41.28

-28.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.39 $5.39

-5.94%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$144 $144

39.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,831 $5,831

-10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$66.8 $66.8

-44.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$43.94 $43.94

-9.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 $116

-32.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$106 $106

-17.84%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.58

33.10%

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 Suchitoto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Suchitoto. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $258 in Suchitoto – so Playa del Carmen 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 Suchitoto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,111 in Suchitoto. 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 $740 in Suchitoto. 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 $144 in Suchitoto. 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 Suchitoto, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Suchitoto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suchitoto – 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 Suchitoto. 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.