😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,008 in Sun City, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,591 in Sun City, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,174 in Sun City, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Sun City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Sun City25% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$10.99R 182
8.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$45.62R 755
-6.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$4.96R 82.0
113.51%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.22R 36.79
63.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.02R 16.95
44.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.76R 12.59
23.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.74R 45.29
12.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.49R 41.19
79.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.09R 18.03
31.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.75R 12.37
150.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.66R 27.44
-1.81%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.45R 40.62
7.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$8.05R 133
1.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$4.83R 79.9
71.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$6.79R 112
63.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.67R 27.64
58.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.52R 25.12
-1.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.52R 25.16
30.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.59R 26.37
30.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.49R 24.66
20.13%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.45R 24.06
50.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.06R 17.53
1.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.96R 15.85
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$3.05R 50.5
30.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$5.94R 98.4
71.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.35R 22.37
28.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.65R 27.28
51.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.61R 26.57
-67.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$1.09R 18.10
188.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.91R 15.02
163.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$3.99R 66.0
-22.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.29R 21.30
-1.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$22.3KR 368.9K
38.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$24.0KR 396.7K
-2.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$96.7R 1,601
-15.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$40.11R 664
-44.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$43.32R 717
-31.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$30.75R 509
68.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$3.04R 50.4
63.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$210R 3,476
-5.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$4,957R 82.0K
6.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$50.3R 833
-27.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$33.58R 556
19.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$67.3R 1,113
18.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$77.2R 1,277
15.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$364R 6,019
164.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$337R 5,583
37.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$698R 11.5K
128.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$684R 11.3K
76.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$701R 11.6K
461.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$714R 11.8K
802.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sun City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$1,512R 25.0K
-52.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.51
-0.78%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Sun City: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $364 in Sun City. 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 110% higher in Sun City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Sun City. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $180 in Sun City – so Sun City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Sun City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Sun City cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,511 in Sun City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Sun City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,008 in Sun City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $210 in Sun City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Sun City?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sun City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sun City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Sun City?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sun City. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared