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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Sal vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Sal vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,860 per month in Sal vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sal is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sal and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sal 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 CVE 564

$11.71 MX$198

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.67 CVE 4,428

$46.59 MX$788

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 CVE 1,083

$11.65 MX$197

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$2.43 CVE 231

$4.09 MX$69.2

-40.59%

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

$2.72 CVE 258

$1.37 MX$23.23

98.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 CVE 112

$0.83 MX$14.09

42.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 CVE 454

$3.35 MX$56.7

42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CVE 293

$6.91 MX$117

-55.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 CVE 150

$1.73 MX$29.20

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 CVE 221

$2.26 MX$38.21

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 CVE 117

$1.77 MX$29.91

-30.51%

Eggs

$2.91 CVE 276

$2.73 MX$46.19

6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 CVE 911

$9.18 MX$155

4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 CVE 742

$8.92 MX$151

-12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 CVE 1,586

$12.60 MX$213

32.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CVE 317

$3.02 MX$51.1

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 CVE 235

$1.57 MX$26.55

57.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 CVE 327

$2.13 MX$35.93

61.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CVE 383

$2.26 MX$38.28

78.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 CVE 163

$2.00 MX$33.88

-14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 CVE 182

$2.06 MX$34.90

-6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 CVE 153

$1.18 MX$19.94

37.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CVE 107

$1.20 MX$20.35

-5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 CVE 453

$4.63 MX$78.4

3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 CVE 652

$10.69 MX$181

-35.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 CVE 393

$1.62 MX$27.38

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CVE 186

$2.88 MX$48.70

-31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 98.1

$0.57 MX$9.69

80.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 CVE 198

$5.45 MX$92.1

-61.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 CVE 303

$3.70 MX$62.6

-13.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 CVE 1,254

$5.98 MX$101

121.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CVE 130

$1.55 MX$26.26

-11.61%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$63.5 CVE 6,024

$89.1 MX$1,507

-28.77%

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 CVE 4,804

$31.50 MX$532

60.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.27 CVE 2,777

$67.8 MX$1,146

-56.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$120 CVE 11.4K

$225 MX$3,803

-46.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.98 CVE 2,939

$47.44 MX$802

-34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CVE 13.8K

$92.1 MX$1,557

57.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 CVE 25.4K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-75.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 CVE 16.4K

$405 MX$6,852

-57.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 CVE 30.1K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-83.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 CVE 19.6K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-84.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$682 CVE 64.7K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-82.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$349 CVE 33.1K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-94.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$267 CVE 25.3K

$749 MX$12.7K

-64.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.45

-54.15%

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

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Sal versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 181% 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 $47.00 in Sal versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $307 in Sal vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,331 per month in Sal and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sal, 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 $888 in Sal and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $120 per month in Sal and $225 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Sal, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Sal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sal – 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 Sal. 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.