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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $664 in Sucre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Sucre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,326 in Sucre, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% more than Sucre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sucre are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sucre 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$1.49 BOB 17.01

773.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$16.20 BOB 185

185.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$3.39 BOB 38.67

271.39%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.80 BOB 20.56

122.22%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.80 BOB 9.08

77.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.51 BOB 5.83

58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.17 BOB 24.83

40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.18 BOB 24.92

212.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.78 BOB 8.88

119.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.38 BOB 15.77

60.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.94 BOB 10.74

82.98%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.30 BOB 14.90

108.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$4.06 BOB 46.33

130.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$2.56 BOB 29.27

246.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$4.55 BOB 52.0

180.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.85 BOB 21.07

69.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.86 BOB 9.82

80.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$0.71 BOB 8.05

202.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.00 BOB 34.30

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.46 BOB 5.27

339.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.74 BOB 8.50

168.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.31 BOB 3.56

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.88 BOB 10.04

35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$1.10 BOB 12.52

322.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$9.58 BOB 109

9.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.32 BOB 15.07

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.17 BOB 1.97

229.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.61 BOB 6.92

772.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.42 BOB 4.78

785.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.77 BOB 8.76

101.30%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$14.29 BOB 163

524.77%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$14.75 BOB 168

57.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$21.37 BOB 244

48.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$28.60 BOB 327

140.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.70 BOB 65.1

-11.23%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$105 BOB 1,196

112.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$36.54 BOB 417

26.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$72.8 BOB 831

31.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$66.8 BOB 763

38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$469 BOB 5,351

128.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$288 BOB 3,290

36.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$770 BOB 8,794

158.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$499 BOB 5,700

161.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$327 BOB 3,734

128.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

16.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sucre: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $469 in Sucre. 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 128% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Sucre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $142 – making Sucre 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 Sucre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 100%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $996 in Sucre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sucre, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $664 in Sucre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $105 in Sucre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sucre, where all-in costs run around $664, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Sucre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sucre – 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 Sucre. 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.