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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $751 in Suzano, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,239 in Suzano, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,727 in Suzano, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Suzano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Suzano are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Suzano 44% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$202
$4.89 R$24.87
139.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$719
$32.64 R$166
28.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 MX$179
$5.71 R$29.03
82.31%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.1
$1.72 R$8.75
109.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 MX$25.06
$1.26 R$6.42
15.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.70
$0.78 R$3.98
24.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 MX$50.3
$1.78 R$9.06
64.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62 MX$79.5
$2.71 R$13.77
70.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.59
$0.87 R$4.44
64.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 MX$32.70
$1.81 R$9.23
4.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.95
$0.89 R$4.50
76.40%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$45.34
$1.82 R$9.25
45.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 MX$145
$9.83 R$50.0
-14.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.58 MX$148
$2.94 R$14.98
191.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 MX$189
$7.02 R$35.70
56.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$46.51
$1.43 R$7.26
88.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$25.92
$1.65 R$8.42
-8.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 MX$32.93
$1.18 R$6.00
61.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.37
$1.40 R$7.15
55.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.25
$1.23 R$6.23
52.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.43
$0.75 R$3.80
197.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.60
$0.64 R$3.24
68.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.47
$0.41 R$2.11
160.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$71.6
$1.65 R$8.41
152.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 MX$177
$6.20 R$31.57
65.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$28.95
$1.36 R$6.92
23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.59
$2.08 R$10.56
21.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.53
$0.94 R$4.77
-41.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.29 MX$452
$38.71 R$197
-32.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$1.10 R$5.60
190.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.37
$0.57 R$2.92
331.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 MX$55.0
$7.83 R$39.82
-59.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$22.72
$1.02 R$5.20
29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$518.8K
$22.1K R$112.4K
36.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$402.5K
$26.3K R$133.8K
-11.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.4 MX$1,400
$37.85 R$193
114.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41 MX$386
$16.48 R$83.8
35.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97 MX$516
$21.90 R$111
36.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$887
$22.75 R$116
126.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$316
$21.41 R$109
-14.11%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$88.9
$6.56 R$33.40
-21.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$202 MX$3,471
$163 R$830
23.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,311 MX$91.4K
$8,903 R$45.3K
-40.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61 MX$613
$55.5 R$282
-35.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37 MX$695
$56.6 R$288
-28.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 MX$1,353
$76.4 R$389
2.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9 MX$1,495
$75.8 R$386
14.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$950 MX$16.3K
$318 R$1,620
198.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 MX$8,227
$215 R$1,095
122.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,621 MX$27.9K
$572 R$2,908
183.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,223 MX$21.0K
$421 R$2,143
190.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,009 MX$69.0K
$939 R$4,778
326.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,473 MX$111.4K
$868 R$4,414
646.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Suzano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 MX$11.6K
$446 R$2,269
50.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
11.17
2.24%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Suzano: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $318 in Suzano. 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 51% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Suzano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $168 – making Suzano the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Suzano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Suzano cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,127 in Suzano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Suzano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Suzano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $751 in Suzano. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 47% less in Suzano. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Suzano?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Suzano, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Suzano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Suzano more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Suzano – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Suzano. 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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities