Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $800 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,316 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,833 in Surat Thani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surat Thani are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.97 ฿66.1

508.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.49 ฿622

125.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.73 ฿159

127.27%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.52 ฿51.0

130.26%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.47 ฿15.95

208.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.32 ฿10.86

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.44 ฿82.0

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.67 ฿123

22.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.04 ฿68.5

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.24 ฿41.68

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.11 ฿37.29

41.44%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.95 ฿65.7

28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$19.67 ฿661

-57.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.64 ฿123

131.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.54 ฿253

41.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.26 ฿110

-19.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.70 ฿57.2

-15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.14 ฿71.9

-8.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.71 ฿57.5

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.21 ฿40.54

52.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.48 ฿49.79

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.03 ฿34.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.41 ฿13.91

160.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.15 ฿106

30.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.59 ฿625

-45.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.57 ฿52.9

7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.65 ฿89.2

-4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.10 ฿36.90

-53.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$21.66 ฿728

20.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.11 ฿37.19

190.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.66 ฿22.29

265.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.66 ฿123

-11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.26 ฿42.27

4.76%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.8K ฿934.5K

6.87%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-28.13%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$76.9 ฿2,585

6.67%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.74 ฿462

67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$18.81 ฿633

60.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$49.95 ฿1,680

4.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$12.18 ฿410

52.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.71 ฿158

5.73%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$682 ฿22.9K

-71.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$15.6K ฿525.7K

-65.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$58.6 ฿1,972

-39.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.37 ฿1,156

17.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$115 ฿3,863

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$84.6 ฿2,846

5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$243 ฿8,169

289.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$153 ฿5,155

209.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$691 ฿23.2K

137.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$410 ฿13.8K

195.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,174 ฿73.1K

86.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,619 ฿54.5K

299.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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 Surat Thani: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 in Surat Thani. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Surat Thani. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $254 in Surat Thani – so Playa del Carmen 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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,200 in Surat Thani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surat Thani, 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 $800 in Surat Thani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Surat Thani. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat Thani, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Surat Thani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surat Thani – 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 Surat Thani. 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.