Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sun City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sun City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,303 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,006 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,709 in Sun City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Sun City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Sun City 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$12.67 R 206

-8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$48.01 R 780

-1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.55 R 123

57.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.56 R 41.67

55.47%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.20 R 19.53

19.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.00 R 16.21

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.13 R 34.65

49.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.88 R 46.82

135.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.35 R 21.99

24.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.32 R 21.37

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.80 R 29.25

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.68 R 43.56

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.95 R 145

7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.80 R 94.2

55.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.81 R 143

45.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.19 R 35.64

31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.95 R 31.71

-23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.90 R 30.87

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.13 R 34.62

6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.78 R 28.88

11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.89 R 30.67

5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.49 R 24.16

-17.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.37 R 22.25

-12.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.36 R 54.6

35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.10 R 99.0

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.85 R 30.13

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.45 R 39.85

17.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.54 R 25.03

-61.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.97 R 15.78

455.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.93 R 15.07

301.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$15.10 R 245

-61.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.54 R 25.01

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$37.1K R 602.5K

-39.20%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$33.1K R 538.0K

-21.31%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$229 R 3,716

-60.04%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$38.00 R 617

-33.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$38.27 R 622

-18.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$33.47 R 544

100.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$8.38 R 136

-42.00%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$253 R 4,103

-11.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,666 R 92.1K

-25.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$59.3 R 964

-20.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$46.87 R 761

-5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$108 R 1,754

-25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$109 R 1,771

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$435 R 7,064

144.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$381 R 6,183

2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$798 R 13.0K

169.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$774 R 12.6K

64.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$903 R 14.7K

343.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$684 R 11.1K

850.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.91

4.95%

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 Sun City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Sun City. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $226 in Sun City – so Sun City 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 Sun City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sun City is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,954 in Sun City. 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 $1,303 in Sun City. 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 $253 in Sun City. 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 Sun City at $1,303. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sun City 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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sun City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.