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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,103 in Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,577 in Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,050 in Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Sur, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sur are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sur 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.95 OMR 1.52

203.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$727

$25.63 OMR 9.87

63.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.76 OMR 2.99

38.53%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.8

$4.82 OMR 1.85

-27.39%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$0.72 OMR 0.28

101.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.40

$0.27 OMR 0.10

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$12.51 OMR 4.82

-76.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.5

$11.86 OMR 4.56

-61.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.92

$1.59 OMR 0.61

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.98

$1.23 OMR 0.47

49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.30

$1.67 OMR 0.64

-5.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.72

$2.00 OMR 0.77

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.84 OMR 1.48

115.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.91 OMR 1.89

71.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.60 OMR 3.31

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.40

$2.36 OMR 0.91

10.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$1.27 OMR 0.49

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.15

$1.06 OMR 0.41

84.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.45

$0.81 OMR 0.31

158.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.22

$0.82 OMR 0.31

125.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$0.50 OMR 0.19

334.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.95

$1.08 OMR 0.42

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.69

$0.51 OMR 0.19

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.23 OMR 2.40

-34.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.90 OMR 6.12

-36.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.15

$4.36 OMR 1.68

-61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-68.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.16 OMR 1.21

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.86

$0.76 OMR 0.29

217.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.25 OMR 3.95

-68.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.99

$0.53 OMR 0.20

149.06%

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

$29.7K MX$516.8K

$22.5K OMR 8,655

32.06%

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

$23.7K MX$411.8K

$21.8K OMR 8,409

8.31%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$79.0 OMR 30.40

3.84%

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

$22.95 MX$399

$23.13 OMR 8.90

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$70.0 OMR 26.95

-56.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$904

$85.9 OMR 33.07

-39.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.25 OMR 3.95

-51.41%

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

$197 MX$3,436

$192 OMR 73.8

2.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,388 OMR 2,459

-16.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$619

$51.2 OMR 19.71

-30.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.04 OMR 15.03

3.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$78.4 OMR 30.18

0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,548

$87.7 OMR 33.74

1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$258 OMR 99.5

266.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,249

$265 OMR 102

79.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$470 OMR 181

250.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$384 OMR 148

215.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$565 OMR 218

617.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.6K

$525 OMR 202

1132.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,657 OMR 1,023

-75.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.15

121.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 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 306% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $216 – 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 Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,655 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,103 in Sur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $192 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 $1,103, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.