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 $1,478 per month in Sala vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,218 per month in Sala vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,957 per month in Sala vs $2,990 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

$12.53 SEK 119

$11.72 MX$203

6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SEK 605

$41.89 MX$725

52.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 SEK 96.9

$10.51 MX$182

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$3.19 SEK 30.28

$3.59 MX$62.0

-11.14%

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

$1.86 SEK 17.70

$1.51 MX$26.10

23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SEK 22.67

$0.92 MX$15.83

159.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 SEK 70.5

$2.96 MX$51.2

150.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 SEK 68.8

$4.41 MX$76.3

64.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.87

$1.40 MX$24.16

27.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.53

$1.88 MX$32.60

43.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 SEK 34.44

$1.56 MX$26.97

132.69%

Eggs

$3.86 SEK 36.68

$2.61 MX$45.14

47.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 115

$8.32 MX$144

45.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 113

$8.35 MX$145

42.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 SEK 152

$10.86 MX$188

47.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 29.85

$2.71 MX$46.93

15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.45

$1.51 MX$26.04

70.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 27.01

$1.87 MX$32.41

51.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 SEK 48.74

$2.19 MX$37.89

134.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.78

$1.86 MX$32.14

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 SEK 11.17

$2.23 MX$38.59

-47.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.77

$1.07 MX$18.48

153.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 9.71

$1.09 MX$18.79

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 SEK 68.4

$4.19 MX$72.4

71.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 SEK 59.3

$10.43 MX$180

-40.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.73

$1.66 MX$28.68

50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SEK 18.28

$2.61 MX$45.19

-26.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 30.83

$0.54 MX$9.37

501.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 SEK 212

$26.16 MX$453

-14.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 SEK 58.5

$3.08 MX$53.3

99.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 15.05

$2.40 MX$41.61

-34.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.29 SEK 202

$3.13 MX$54.1

580.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.69

$1.31 MX$22.69

50.38%

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

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

38.97%

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

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

48.09%

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

$89.6 SEK 852

$81.3 MX$1,406

10.29%

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

$21.17 SEK 201

$22.56 MX$390

-6.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.99 SEK 351

$30.05 MX$520

23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 SEK 462

$52.9 MX$915

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.31 SEK 202

$18.39 MX$318

15.88%

Cinema Ticket

$18.75 SEK 178

$4.92 MX$85.1

281.10%

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

$148 SEK 1,404

$201 MX$3,474

-26.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-75.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.96 SEK 437

$35.92 MX$622

27.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 SEK 351

$40.13 MX$694

-7.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.4 SEK 517

$79.7 MX$1,379

-31.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 SEK 554

$86.5 MX$1,496

-32.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 SEK 7,261

$978 MX$16.9K

-21.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SEK 5,044

$470 MX$8,140

12.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 SEK 9,354

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 SEK 7,002

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-38.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

3.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-54.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

$677 MX$11.7K

270.54%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Sala versus $978 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 271% 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 $64.0 in Sala versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $252 – 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 $2,217 per month in Sala and $1,890 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 $1,478 in Sala and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $1,260, than in Sala at $1,478. 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.