😐A single person spends $1,496 per month in Sala vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Sala vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,973 per month in Sala vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Sala costs about 16% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Sala sits 12% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.80SEK 119
$11.94MX$208
7.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.5SEK 589
$42.75MX$744
48.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.15SEK 94.1
$10.59MX$184
-4.15%
Cappuccino
$3.18SEK 29.46
$3.62MX$63.0
-12.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83SEK 17.00
$1.47MX$25.54
24.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47SEK 22.92
$0.94MX$16.41
162.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.29SEK 67.6
$3.09MX$53.8
135.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.56SEK 70.1
$4.46MX$77.6
69.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.83SEK 17.01
$1.43MX$24.80
27.97%
White Bread(500g)
$2.65SEK 24.57
$1.88MX$32.79
40.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.68SEK 34.12
$1.63MX$28.34
125.77%
Eggs
$4.07SEK 37.73
$2.64MX$45.99
54.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.73SEK 109
$8.21MX$143
42.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.91SEK 110
$8.29MX$144
43.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.92SEK 148
$11.10MX$193
43.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.02SEK 28.01
$2.65MX$46.14
13.96%
Banana(1kg)
$2.70SEK 25.03
$1.50MX$26.11
80.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.72SEK 25.25
$1.99MX$34.59
36.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.14SEK 47.63
$2.08MX$36.13
147.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52SEK 14.08
$1.79MX$31.11
-15.08%
Onion(1kg)
$1.20SEK 11.10
$2.18MX$37.87
-44.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.72SEK 25.24
$1.08MX$18.73
151.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07SEK 9.88
$1.04MX$18.04
2.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.55SEK 70.0
$3.97MX$69.1
90.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.47SEK 60.0
$10.20MX$178
-36.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48SEK 22.95
$1.73MX$30.04
43.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88SEK 17.46
$2.50MX$43.46
-24.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.22SEK 29.81
$0.52MX$9.02
519.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.91SEK 203
$26.97MX$469
-18.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.25SEK 58.0
$3.14MX$54.7
99.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66SEK 15.39
$2.40MX$41.80
-30.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.07SEK 195
$3.09MX$53.7
581.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98SEK 18.34
$1.27MX$22.16
55.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.7KSEK 395.4K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
38.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4KSEK 318.6K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
47.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$88.1SEK 816
$82.0MX$1,427
7.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.33SEK 198
$22.45MX$391
-4.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.05SEK 343
$29.66MX$516
24.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.76SEK 452
$51.9MX$903
-6.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.11SEK 196
$18.67MX$325
13.07%
Cinema Ticket
$19.10SEK 177
$4.97MX$86.5
284.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$147SEK 1,362
$198MX$3,442
-25.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,286SEK 11.9K
$5,273MX$91.7K
-75.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.81SEK 443
$36.34MX$632
31.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.57SEK 339
$40.05MX$697
-8.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$55.6SEK 516
$79.9MX$1,390
-30.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.8SEK 545
$88.9MX$1,547
-33.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$755SEK 7,000
$963MX$16.8K
-21.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$534SEK 4,949
$465MX$8,086
14.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$984SEK 9,125
$1,596MX$27.8K
-38.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$720SEK 6,676
$1,209MX$21.0K
-40.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,275SEK 39.6K
$3,942MX$68.6K
8.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,074SEK 28.5K
$6,448MX$112.2K
-52.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sala
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,601SEK 24.1K
$720MX$12.5K
261.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.53
11.42
-60.33%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Sala: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Sala versus $963 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 261% 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 $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Sala vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Sala?
Yes – Sala is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,244 per month in Sala and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Sala vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,496 in Sala and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 23% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Sala or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Sala at $1,496. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sala or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Sala or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.