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 $1,119 per month in Saku vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,749 per month in Saku vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,378 per month in Saku vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saku is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saku and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saku 18% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.95

$11.60 MX$199

47.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 €65.2

$47.11 MX$809

58.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.64 €10.14

$11.88 MX$204

-2.02%

Cappuccino

$4.22 €3.68

$3.98 MX$68.2

6.03%

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

$2.14 €1.86

$1.43 MX$24.49

49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.90

$0.82 MX$14.16

167.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 €5.94

$3.19 MX$54.7

113.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 €5.72

$6.79 MX$117

-3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.68 MX$28.76

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.21

$2.20 MX$37.71

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.71 MX$29.32

38.01%

Eggs

$3.09 €2.69

$2.74 MX$47.05

12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 €9.69

$9.58 MX$164

16.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 €7.90

$9.01 MX$155

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 €13.13

$12.81 MX$220

17.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.93

$2.89 MX$49.58

-23.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.50 MX$25.70

-2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.17

$2.15 MX$36.87

16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 €2.70

$2.26 MX$38.79

36.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.98 MX$34.00

-58.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 €0.73

$1.99 MX$34.15

-58.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.23 MX$21.18

50.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$1.20 MX$20.54

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.18

$4.55 MX$78.1

55.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 €9.17

$10.37 MX$178

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.62 MX$27.79

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.86

$2.88 MX$49.44

-25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 €3.16

$5.39 MX$92.5

-32.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.92

$3.73 MX$64.0

-71.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.73 €24.16

$5.77 MX$99.0

380.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.54 MX$26.37

23.38%

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

$28.5K €24.9K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

26.60%

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

$32.2K €28.0K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

23.50%

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

$319 €278

$91.4 MX$1,569

249.27%

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

$18.03 €15.71

$25.20 MX$433

-28.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.40 €29.10

$31.24 MX$536

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 €10.57

$4.86 MX$83.5

149.59%

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

$449 €391

$224 MX$3,839

100.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,417

$4,229 MX$72.6K

155.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.7

$47.10 MX$808

128.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 €44.08

$44.29 MX$760

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.7

$80.1 MX$1,375

34.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$92.7 MX$1,591

35.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,144 €3,610

$4,001 MX$68.7K

3.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,811 €2,449

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-56.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 €1,625

$758 MX$13.0K

146.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

11.45

-69.17%

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

Last update for Saku: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 146% 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 $75.0 in Saku versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Saku vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Saku 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,679 per month in Saku and $1,899 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 $1,119 in Saku and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Saku and $224 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 $1,119, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.