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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $697 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,246 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,795 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 82% 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$205

$6.94 JOD 4.91

71.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$740

$49.48 JOD 35.03

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$184

$6.32 JOD 4.47

68.51%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.4

$0.68 JOD 0.48

407.35%

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

$1.50 MX$25.93

$0.41 JOD 0.29

265.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.36

$0.22 JOD 0.16

331.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.2

$5.66 JOD 4.01

-46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.5

$6.86 JOD 4.86

-32.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.72

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.85

$0.33 JOD 0.24

460.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.77

$1.71 JOD 1.21

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.71

$2.57 JOD 1.82

0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.79 JOD 4.10

42.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.07 JOD 2.18

172.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$184

$9.59 JOD 6.79

11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.33

$1.97 JOD 1.40

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.65

$1.44 JOD 1.02

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.10

$1.37 JOD 0.97

40.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.97

$0.72 JOD 0.51

190.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.02

$0.87 JOD 0.62

113.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.99

$0.68 JOD 0.48

232.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.32

$0.65 JOD 0.46

63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.75

$0.41 JOD 0.29

165.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.5

$3.48 JOD 2.46

19.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$179

$20.76 JOD 14.70

-49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.73

$4.80 JOD 3.40

-64.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.05

$5.41 JOD 3.83

-51.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.34

$0.68 JOD 0.48

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$465

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.9

$0.33 JOD 0.24

848.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.29

$1.40 JOD 0.99

79.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.3

$7.13 JOD 5.05

-55.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.98

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-10.56%

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

$30.4K MX$523.7K

$26.9K JOD 19.0K

12.95%

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

$23.6K MX$406.3K

$32.1K JOD 22.8K

-26.66%

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

$83.0 MX$1,431

$35.31 JOD 25.00

135.06%

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

$22.71 MX$392

$16.97 JOD 12.01

33.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$508

$28.56 JOD 20.22

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$879

$42.99 JOD 30.43

18.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$316

$21.46 JOD 15.19

-14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.9

$11.32 JOD 8.01

-56.45%

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

$197 MX$3,402

$278 JOD 197

-29.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$91.0K

$5,375 JOD 3,805

-1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$636

$35.95 JOD 25.45

2.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$688

$26.94 JOD 19.07

48.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,380

$70.6 JOD 49.98

13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,543

$71.4 JOD 50.6

25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.5K

$140 JOD 99.2

582.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,226

$111 JOD 78.7

329.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.4K

$415 JOD 294

296.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.1K

$356 JOD 252

244.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.6K

$981 JOD 694

299.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$111.4K

$899 JOD 637

618.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.5K

$776 JOD 549

-14.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 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 16% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $250 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 82%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,045 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $697 in Suwaylih. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $278 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 $697, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.