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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $720 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,316 in Suwaylih, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,913 in Suwaylih, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Suwaylih, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suwaylih are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Suwaylih 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$7.13 JOD 5.05

62.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$67.8 JOD 47.98

-30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.41 JOD 4.54

85.34%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$0.68 JOD 0.48

485.29%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.43 JOD 0.31

232.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.20 JOD 0.14

310.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$8.69 JOD 6.15

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$10.86 JOD 7.68

-37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.38 JOD 0.97

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$0.33 JOD 0.24

566.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.57 JOD 1.11

8.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.37 JOD 1.68

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$5.78 JOD 4.09

65.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$3.03 JOD 2.14

197.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.92 JOD 7.02

29.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.15 JOD 1.52

34.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.39 JOD 0.99

7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.42 JOD 1.01

51.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$0.72 JOD 0.51

213.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.97 JOD 0.69

104.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$0.89 JOD 0.63

123.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.65 JOD 0.46

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.44 JOD 0.31

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$3.48 JOD 2.46

30.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$21.20 JOD 15.00

-51.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$5.15 JOD 3.65

-68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$5.01 JOD 3.55

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$0.69 JOD 0.49

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$0.34 JOD 0.24

1485.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.38 JOD 0.97

170.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$7.22 JOD 5.11

-20.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$1.45 JOD 1.02

6.21%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$35.3K JOD 25.0K

-36.09%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$33.9K JOD 24.0K

-23.06%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$35.46 JOD 25.09

157.70%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$15.62 JOD 11.05

61.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$27.89 JOD 19.74

12.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

$43.06 JOD 30.47

56.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$20.77 JOD 14.70

40.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$11.38 JOD 8.06

-57.29%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$492 JOD 348

-54.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$6,974 JOD 4,936

-39.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$34.81 JOD 24.64

35.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$26.67 JOD 18.88

66.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$69.8 JOD 49.42

14.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$71.6 JOD 50.6

29.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$141 JOD 99.7

654.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

$113 JOD 79.7

246.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$421 JOD 298

410.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$352 JOD 249

261.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$973 JOD 689

311.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$918 JOD 650

607.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$784 JOD 555

-3.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.81

68.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Suwaylih: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 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 3% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Suwaylih. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $214 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 76%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,079 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $720 in Suwaylih. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $492 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 $720, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.