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 $1,014 per month in Sal vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,540 per month in Sal vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,066 per month in Sal vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sal is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sal and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sal 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 CVE 549

$11.73 MX$203

-50.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 CVE 4,437

$41.62 MX$720

12.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 CVE 690

$10.64 MX$184

-31.58%

Cappuccino

$2.28 CVE 216

$3.52 MX$60.9

-35.23%

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

$2.43 CVE 230

$1.51 MX$26.12

60.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CVE 106

$0.97 MX$16.84

15.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 CVE 364

$2.95 MX$51.0

30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CVE 295

$4.45 MX$77.0

-30.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CVE 142

$1.38 MX$23.93

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CVE 210

$1.89 MX$32.72

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CVE 147

$1.64 MX$28.32

-5.49%

Eggs

$2.87 CVE 272

$2.51 MX$43.34

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 CVE 1,048

$8.34 MX$144

32.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 CVE 777

$8.34 MX$144

-1.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 CVE 1,572

$10.73 MX$186

54.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 CVE 278

$2.60 MX$45.04

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CVE 240

$1.46 MX$25.20

73.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CVE 279

$1.90 MX$32.87

54.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CVE 394

$2.08 MX$35.91

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CVE 154

$1.78 MX$30.71

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 186

$2.19 MX$37.80

-10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CVE 174

$1.04 MX$17.99

76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CVE 108

$1.08 MX$18.62

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 CVE 459

$4.08 MX$70.6

18.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 CVE 662

$10.32 MX$178

-32.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CVE 283

$1.71 MX$29.61

74.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CVE 187

$2.58 MX$44.54

-23.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 97.7

$0.51 MX$8.81

101.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 CVE 201

$3.26 MX$56.4

-34.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 CVE 268

$2.49 MX$43.09

13.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 CVE 1,214

$3.25 MX$56.2

294.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 135

$1.31 MX$22.61

9.16%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$89.8 CVE 8,500

$82.9 MX$1,433

8.34%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CVE 5,225

$29.34 MX$507

88.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 CVE 3,358

$51.6 MX$893

-31.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$150 CVE 14.2K

$201 MX$3,473

-25.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-51.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 CVE 3,006

$36.92 MX$639

-14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 CVE 13.8K

$87.1 MX$1,506

67.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 CVE 31.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-65.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CVE 27.9K

$468 MX$8,090

-37.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 CVE 42.2K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-72.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CVE 37.9K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-67.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$674 CVE 63.8K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-82.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CVE 33.0K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-94.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 CVE 24.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-60.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.42

-45.97%

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

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Sal versus $973 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 152% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,521 per month in Sal and $1,945 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 $1,014 in Sal and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Sal 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sal, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.