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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,491 per month in Sala vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,247 per month in Sala vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,003 per month in Sala vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sala costs about 17% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sala sits 11% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 118

$11.87 MX$204

5.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 SEK 590

$42.90 MX$736

46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 SEK 98.4

$10.65 MX$183

-1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.20 SEK 29.99

$3.45 MX$59.2

-7.25%

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

$1.81 SEK 17.00

$1.50 MX$25.81

20.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.50

$0.95 MX$16.28

152.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 SEK 70.6

$3.03 MX$51.9

148.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 SEK 71.0

$4.61 MX$79.1

64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.26

$1.38 MX$23.61

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.26

$1.85 MX$31.70

45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.07

$1.61 MX$27.65

132.30%

Eggs

$4.04 SEK 37.93

$2.59 MX$44.51

55.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 111

$8.26 MX$142

42.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 109

$8.37 MX$144

39.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 SEK 149

$10.66 MX$183

48.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 29.59

$2.63 MX$45.12

19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.35

$1.49 MX$25.53

81.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.43

$1.92 MX$32.94

46.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 SEK 47.26

$2.09 MX$35.81

141.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.57

$1.86 MX$31.88

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SEK 11.15

$2.26 MX$38.81

-47.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.46

$1.06 MX$18.23

155.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.73

$1.09 MX$18.67

-4.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SEK 70.7

$4.15 MX$71.2

81.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 SEK 60.2

$10.39 MX$178

-38.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.45

$1.72 MX$29.59

45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.14

$2.61 MX$44.85

-26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 SEK 29.51

$0.54 MX$9.30

483.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 205

$26.94 MX$462

-19.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 SEK 59.1

$3.13 MX$53.7

101.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.84

$2.51 MX$43.09

-37.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.87 SEK 196

$3.15 MX$54.1

562.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.78

$1.27 MX$21.88

57.48%

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

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

38.89%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.23%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$83.0 MX$1,425

6.96%

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

$20.84 SEK 196

$22.71 MX$390

-8.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 SEK 349

$29.46 MX$506

26.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 SEK 450

$51.0 MX$875

-6.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 SEK 197

$18.33 MX$315

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$19.22 SEK 180

$4.93 MX$84.5

289.86%

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

$146 SEK 1,373

$197 MX$3,386

-25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-76.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.54 SEK 437

$36.90 MX$633

26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 SEK 349

$39.89 MX$685

-6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 SEK 514

$80.0 MX$1,373

-31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 SEK 538

$89.5 MX$1,536

-35.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,256

$956 MX$16.4K

-19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 SEK 5,113

$477 MX$8,189

14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 SEK 9,049

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-41.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 SEK 6,811

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-40.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

2.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-48.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

$667 MX$11.4K

285.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

11.42

-60.33%

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

Last update for Sala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in Sala versus $956 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 285% higher in Sala, 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 $63.0 in Sala versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Sala is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,236 per month in Sala and $1,906 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,491 in Sala and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Sala at $1,491. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.