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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,142 in Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,655 in Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,168 in Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sur are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sur 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$3.81 OMR 1.47

213.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$25.90 OMR 9.97

82.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$7.83 OMR 3.01

50.06%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-17.10%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$0.75 OMR 0.29

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$0.27 OMR 0.10

237.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$12.88 OMR 4.96

-75.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$13.09 OMR 5.04

-45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$1.60 OMR 0.61

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.29 OMR 0.50

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.70 OMR 0.66

4.12%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$2.00 OMR 0.77

41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$7.68 OMR 2.96

19.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$6.63 OMR 2.55

39.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$9.19 OMR 3.54

37.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$2.31 OMR 0.89

27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$1.27 OMR 0.49

24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$1.06 OMR 0.41

109.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$0.74 OMR 0.29

218.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$0.80 OMR 0.31

148.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$0.51 OMR 0.19

288.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$1.52 OMR 0.58

-18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.50 OMR 0.19

142.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-26.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$15.73 OMR 6.06

-33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$5.66 OMR 2.18

-70.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$8.73 OMR 3.36

-68.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$3.19 OMR 1.23

64.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$2.66 OMR 1.02

37.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-27.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$0.58 OMR 0.22

165.52%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$25.3K OMR 9,753

-9.99%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.6K OMR 8,693

14.33%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$78.9 OMR 30.39

14.86%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$23.85 OMR 9.18

5.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$70.3 OMR 27.06

-54.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

$86.5 OMR 33.30

-20.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$10.25 OMR 3.94

-52.59%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$292 OMR 112

-22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$6,501 OMR 2,503

-35.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$55.5 OMR 21.38

-14.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$42.74 OMR 16.46

1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$91.0 OMR 35.05

-11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$94.9 OMR 36.54

-3.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

$262 OMR 101

313.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

$268 OMR 103

52.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$475 OMR 183

315.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

$387 OMR 149

230.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

$568 OMR 219

612.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

$520 OMR 200

1188.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,671 OMR 1,028

-71.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.25

118.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Sur. 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 245% higher in Sur, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $247 – making Sur 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 Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,713 in Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sur, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,142 in Sur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $292 in Sur. 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 Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. 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.