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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $809 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,816 in Surat Thani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% 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 3% lower, Surat Thani 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.90 ฿62.0

517.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$18.39 ฿601

126.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.68 ฿153

127.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

121.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.50 ฿16.37

202.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.30 ฿9.78

223.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.51 ฿82.1

17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.73 ฿122

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.92 ฿62.8

-28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.22 ฿39.98

54.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.10 ฿35.78

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.89 ฿61.6

32.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$19.57 ฿639

-57.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.68 ฿120

126.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$7.93 ฿259

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.35 ฿110

-22.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.69 ฿55.3

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.12 ฿69.1

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.78 ฿58.1

16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.21 ฿39.61

47.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.45 ฿47.42

51.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.99 ฿32.20

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.41 ฿13.54

163.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$3.13 ฿102

30.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.86 ฿616

-45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.65 ฿53.8

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.69 ฿87.9

-4.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.10 ฿36.05

-53.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$21.39 ฿699

23.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.06 ฿34.71

207.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.61 ฿19.90

308.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$3.67 ฿120

-11.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.21 ฿39.37

8.26%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$27.8K ฿907.9K

8.92%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$33.6K ฿1.1M

-30.24%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$77.4 ฿2,528

7.08%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.88 ฿453

60.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$18.38 ฿600

59.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$50.1 ฿1,636

3.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.18 ฿398

50.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$4.49 ฿147

12.92%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$703 ฿23.0K

-71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$16.1K ฿525.2K

-67.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$59.3 ฿1,935

-37.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.21 ฿1,150

13.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$114 ฿3,732

-31.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$84.6 ฿2,762

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$240 ฿7,833

305.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$156 ฿5,098

199.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$693 ฿22.6K

136.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$416 ฿13.6K

193.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

88.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,698 ฿55.5K

282.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 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 $255 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 60%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,213 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Surat Thani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.