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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $706 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,225 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,744 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% more than Suwaylih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suwaylih are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Suwaylih 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$6.97 JOD 4.94

68.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$49.73 JOD 35.20

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.24 JOD 4.42

68.43%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$0.69 JOD 0.49

420.29%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.41 JOD 0.29

268.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.22 JOD 0.16

318.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$5.49 JOD 3.89

-46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$7.00 JOD 4.96

-37.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.34 JOD 0.24

452.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.69 JOD 1.20

-7.69%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.54 JOD 1.80

2.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$5.49 JOD 3.89

51.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.04 JOD 2.15

174.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$9.84 JOD 6.96

10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.98 JOD 1.40

36.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.39 JOD 0.98

8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.45 JOD 1.03

28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.73 JOD 0.51

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.93 JOD 0.66

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.74 JOD 0.52

201.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.64 JOD 0.45

67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.41 JOD 0.29

165.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.47 JOD 2.46

20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$21.29 JOD 15.07

-51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$4.74 JOD 3.35

-64.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$5.26 JOD 3.72

-50.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.74 JOD 0.52

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.36 JOD 0.26

755.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.45 JOD 1.03

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.87 JOD 4.86

-54.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-6.43%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

8.72%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

-26.42%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$34.96 JOD 24.75

132.49%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$17.10 JOD 12.11

31.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$28.19 JOD 19.96

6.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$41.92 JOD 29.67

26.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$21.39 JOD 15.14

-14.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$11.11 JOD 7.86

-55.72%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$276 JOD 195

-27.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$5,330 JOD 3,773

-2.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$35.14 JOD 24.88

2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$26.67 JOD 18.88

50.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$71.5 JOD 50.6

11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$69.6 JOD 49.27

24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$143 JOD 102

581.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$111 JOD 78.9

322.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$425 JOD 301

288.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$352 JOD 249

242.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$988 JOD 699

300.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$912 JOD 645

624.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$776 JOD 550

-12.83%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 15% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 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 78%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,059 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $706 in Suwaylih. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $276 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 $706, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.