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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $823 in Surat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $851 in Surat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $879 in Surat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Surat 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.09 ₹296

275.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$10.42 ₹1,000

352.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.11 ₹298

281.99%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.85 ₹178

115.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.37 ₹35.15

286.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.16 ₹15.30

412.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.95 ₹283

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.12 ₹299

117.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.70 ₹66.7

140.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.50 ₹47.92

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.67 ₹64.0

155.22%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$0.97 ₹93.0

182.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.39 ₹421

118.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.71 ₹260

232.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.67 ₹160

73.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.58 ₹55.5

158.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.78 ₹74.7

175.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.58 ₹55.3

289.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.34 ₹33.07

482.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.40 ₹38.33

397.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.45 ₹42.89

173.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.32 ₹31.10

275.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.99 ₹479

-8.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.43 ₹712

39.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.83 ₹175

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.97 ₹285

-3.03%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.01 ₹577

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.22 ₹20.97

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$5.25 ₹504

448.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.54 ₹52.1

898.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.20 ₹19.14

1765.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.07 ₹102

439.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.13 ₹108

36.28%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$11.9K ₹1.1M

89.74%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.4K ₹1.8M

41.29%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$37.16 ₹3,566

145.91%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$3.67 ₹352

586.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$7.39 ₹709

322.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$18.59 ₹1,783

261.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$5.29 ₹507

450.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.80 ₹269

73.57%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$32.56 ₹3,124

586.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$861 ₹82.6K

391.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$22.53 ₹2,162

109.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$24.73 ₹2,373

79.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$40.68 ₹3,903

96.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$33.29 ₹3,194

178.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$221 ₹21.2K

381.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$496 ₹47.6K

-21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$384 ₹36.8K

459.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$199 ₹19.1K

539.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$660 ₹63.3K

506.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$307 ₹29.4K

2018.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$313 ₹30.1K

141.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.17

24.86%

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 Surat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $221 in Surat. 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 142% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Surat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $100 – making Surat 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 Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,234 in Surat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surat, 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 $823 in Surat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 449% less in Surat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Surat, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Surat 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 – 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. 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.