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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $702 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,250 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,799 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Suwaylih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suwaylih are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Suwaylih 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$7.19 JOD 5.10

62.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$49.53 JOD 35.12

-15.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$6.22 JOD 4.41

67.20%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$0.73 JOD 0.52

394.52%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.40 JOD 0.29

267.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.20 JOD 0.14

355.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.62 JOD 3.99

-46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.24 JOD 5.13

-38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.37 JOD 0.97

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.36 JOD 0.26

411.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.64 JOD 1.16

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.48 JOD 1.76

3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.65 JOD 4.01

50.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.06 JOD 2.17

177.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$9.72 JOD 6.89

13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.99 JOD 1.41

37.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.38 JOD 0.98

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.42 JOD 1.01

38.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.68 JOD 0.48

211.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.92 JOD 0.65

102.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.70 JOD 0.50

210.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.65 JOD 0.46

64.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.41 JOD 0.29

156.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.43 JOD 2.43

22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$20.76 JOD 14.72

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$4.61 JOD 3.27

-63.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$5.56 JOD 3.94

-55.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.68 JOD 0.48

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.34 JOD 0.24

811.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.37 JOD 0.97

79.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.86 JOD 4.86

-52.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.39 JOD 0.99

-9.35%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$27.6K JOD 19.6K

9.14%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$32.6K JOD 23.1K

-28.19%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$35.18 JOD 24.94

138.74%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$16.66 JOD 11.81

33.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$27.97 JOD 19.83

6.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$42.22 JOD 29.93

24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$21.02 JOD 14.91

-12.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$11.14 JOD 7.90

-55.57%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$271 JOD 192

-26.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$5,450 JOD 3,864

-2.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$35.92 JOD 25.47

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$26.71 JOD 18.94

49.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$70.9 JOD 50.3

11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$69.3 JOD 49.15

24.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$143 JOD 101

584.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$114 JOD 80.6

314.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$423 JOD 300

277.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$353 JOD 250

244.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$987 JOD 699

308.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$900 JOD 638

630.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$782 JOD 554

-8.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in Suwaylih. 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 9% higher in Suwaylih, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $50 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $210 in Suwaylih – so Suwaylih 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 Suwaylih: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 80%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 in Suwaylih. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suwaylih, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $702 in Suwaylih. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $271 in Suwaylih. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Suwaylih, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Suwaylih it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suwaylih – 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 Suwaylih. 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.