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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $919 in Surin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,472 in Surin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,025 in Surin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Surin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Surin 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$3.01 ฿102

297.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$27.19 ฿916

54.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$6.28 ฿212

65.92%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$2.01 ฿67.8

74.63%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$0.72 ฿24.40

111.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.85

$0.56 ฿18.90

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.52 ฿85.1

20.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$3.67 ฿124

19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.75 ฿58.9

-18.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.39 ฿46.74

31.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.27 ฿42.70

28.35%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$2.20 ฿74.3

15.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$18.71 ฿631

-54.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$3.09 ฿104

174.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$10.75 ฿362

0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$3.11 ฿105

-11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.24 ฿41.91

16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.84

$1.95 ฿65.7

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$1.61 ฿54.1

34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$1.47 ฿49.66

21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$1.26 ฿42.42

76.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.02 ฿34.41

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.52 ฿17.40

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$4.25 ฿143

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$16.98 ฿572

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.81 ฿61.1

-3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.93

$2.78 ฿93.9

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.88 ฿29.77

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$1.06 ฿35.82

202.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$1.20 ฿40.48

108.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$6.06 ฿204

-47.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.29 ฿43.44

-2.33%

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

$29.7K MX$516.7K

$27.2K ฿916.6K

9.18%

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

$23.7K MX$412.2K

$27.2K ฿916.5K

-12.88%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$74.9 ฿2,526

9.49%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$13.86 ฿467

64.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$18.57 ฿626

58.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$48.67 ฿1,641

7.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$12.42 ฿419

48.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$7.10 ฿239

-30.56%

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

$202 MX$3,512

$295 ฿9,942

-31.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$9,760 ฿329.0K

-46.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$33.37 ฿1,125

7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.35 ฿1,158

17.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$101 ฿3,407

-20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$71.3 ฿2,405

25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$429 ฿14.5K

121.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,098

$286 ฿9,641

62.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$798 ฿26.9K

104.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$660 ฿22.3K

80.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.5K

$1,919 ฿64.7K

104.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$1,553 ฿52.3K

314.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.45

109.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Surin: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $429 in Surin. 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 $27.00 in Surin. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $254 in Surin – 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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,378 in Surin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surin, 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $919 in Surin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $295 in Surin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surin, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surin – 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 Surin. 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.