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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Surat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $942 in Surat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Surat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% more than Surat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Surat 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.58 ₹341

227.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$11.41 ₹1,087

264.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.42 ₹326

211.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.74 ₹166

102.30%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.40 ₹37.82

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.20 ₹19.44

385.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.13 ₹298

-5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.95 ₹377

12.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.73 ₹69.6

89.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.53 ₹50.3

256.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.67 ₹64.3

144.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.03 ₹98.0

143.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.13 ₹489

62.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.11 ₹296

168.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.43 ₹137

81.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.64 ₹61.1

128.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.95 ₹90.8

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.61 ₹58.1

240.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.36 ₹34.22

394.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.44 ₹41.69

397.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.60 ₹56.9

73.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.35 ₹32.92

208.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.86 ₹368

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.56 ₹720

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.57 ₹245

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.01 ₹382

-35.66%

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

$8.42 ₹802

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.24 ₹22.86

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$5.65 ₹538

368.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.97 ₹92.7

236.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.18 ₹113

175.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.13 ₹108

15.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$11.6K ₹1.1M

161.25%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.5K ₹2.0M

9.16%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$38.31 ₹3,649

116.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.37 ₹321

559.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$7.72 ₹736

280.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$17.76 ₹1,691

190.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.74 ₹642

171.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.90 ₹276

74.83%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$48.91 ₹4,659

310.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,294 ₹123.2K

302.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$24.00 ₹2,286

53.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.62 ₹2,345

61.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$42.46 ₹4,045

84.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$42.48 ₹4,047

105.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$241 ₹23.0K

303.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$557 ₹53.1K

-16.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$506 ₹48.2K

224.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$275 ₹26.2K

344.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$693 ₹66.1K

469.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$306 ₹29.2K

2023.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$327 ₹31.2K

102.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.2

24.13%

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: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 103% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Surat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $113 – 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 46%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $888 in Surat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 368% 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 $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.