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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Saku vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,657 per month in Saku vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Saku vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saku is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saku and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saku 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 €13.84

$11.72 MX$203

36.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €59.0

$41.89 MX$725

62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 €8.40

$10.51 MX$182

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.78 €3.27

$3.59 MX$62.0

5.29%

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

$2.46 €2.13

$1.51 MX$26.10

62.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 €2.20

$0.92 MX$15.83

176.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 €4.48

$2.96 MX$51.2

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 €5.12

$4.41 MX$76.3

34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.40 MX$24.16

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.88 MX$32.60

-23.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$1.56 MX$26.97

46.15%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.58

$2.61 MX$45.14

14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 €10.65

$8.32 MX$144

47.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 €7.65

$8.35 MX$145

5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 €9.94

$10.86 MX$188

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 €1.65

$2.71 MX$46.93

-29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.51 MX$26.04

4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.87 MX$32.41

32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.19 MX$37.89

9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.86

$1.86 MX$32.14

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 €0.87

$2.23 MX$38.59

-55.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.07 MX$18.48

91.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.09 MX$18.79

-3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.33 €5.48

$4.19 MX$72.4

51.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 €8.80

$10.43 MX$180

-2.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.66 MX$28.68

16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.88

$2.61 MX$45.19

-16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.83

$3.08 MX$53.3

6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 €0.64

$2.40 MX$41.61

-69.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.13 €14.83

$3.13 MX$54.1

447.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.68

$1.31 MX$22.69

48.09%

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

$28.8K €25.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-3.22%

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

$30.2K €26.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

29.53%

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

$266 €231

$81.3 MX$1,406

227.63%

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

$20.23 €17.52

$22.56 MX$390

-10.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.97 €31.15

$30.05 MX$520

19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 €9.99

$4.92 MX$85.1

134.55%

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

$117 €102

$201 MX$3,474

-41.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,739 €6,702

$5,175 MX$89.5K

49.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.8

$35.92 MX$622

211.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 €34.87

$40.13 MX$694

0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 €84.6

$79.7 MX$1,379

22.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €95.1

$86.5 MX$1,496

26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,104 €3,554

$3,953 MX$68.4K

3.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,685 €2,325

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-59.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,851 €1,603

$677 MX$11.7K

173.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

11.42

-62.35%

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

Last update for Saku: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 173% higher in Saku, 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 $68.0 in Saku versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Saku vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,566 per month in Saku and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,044 in Saku and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $117 per month in Saku and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saku, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Saku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saku – 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 Saku. 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.