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 $1,619 per month in Sala vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,351 per month in Sala vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,083 per month in Sala vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sala costs about 28% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sala sits 18% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.46 SEK 123

$11.60 MX$200

7.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 SEK 608

$47.11 MX$812

30.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 SEK 99.2

$11.88 MX$205

-15.32%

Cappuccino

$3.30 SEK 32.50

$3.98 MX$68.6

-17.09%

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

$1.87 SEK 18.44

$1.43 MX$24.60

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SEK 23.01

$0.82 MX$14.22

184.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 SEK 70.2

$3.19 MX$55.0

123.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 72.2

$6.79 MX$117

7.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.88

$1.68 MX$28.89

7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 SEK 25.85

$2.20 MX$37.88

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.85

$1.71 MX$29.45

112.87%

Eggs

$5.00 SEK 49.28

$2.74 MX$47.26

82.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 117

$9.58 MX$165

24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 SEK 136

$9.01 MX$155

53.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.79 SEK 225

$12.81 MX$221

77.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 30.39

$2.89 MX$49.81

6.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 26.39

$1.50 MX$25.81

78.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 26.85

$2.15 MX$37.03

26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 SEK 48.51

$2.26 MX$38.96

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 15.16

$1.98 MX$34.15

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SEK 12.06

$1.99 MX$34.30

-38.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 26.82

$1.23 MX$21.28

121.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 10.05

$1.20 MX$20.63

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 SEK 72.2

$4.55 MX$78.5

61.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.30 SEK 62.1

$10.37 MX$179

-39.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SEK 19.80

$1.62 MX$27.91

24.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 19.00

$2.88 MX$49.67

-32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 SEK 30.65

$0.60 MX$10.35

418.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 215

$28.80 MX$497

-24.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 SEK 59.4

$5.39 MX$92.9

11.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SEK 18.17

$3.73 MX$64.3

-50.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 SEK 820

$5.77 MX$99.5

1342.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.31

$1.54 MX$26.48

14.29%

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

$34.5K SEK 339.8K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

52.91%

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

$34.3K SEK 337.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

31.50%

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

$186 SEK 1,835

$91.4 MX$1,576

103.82%

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

$21.01 SEK 207

$25.20 MX$435

-16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.07 SEK 385

$31.24 MX$539

25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.16 SEK 465

$67.2 MX$1,159

-29.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.57 SEK 203

$29.11 MX$502

-29.34%

Cinema Ticket

$16.44 SEK 162

$4.86 MX$83.8

238.27%

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

$164 SEK 1,618

$224 MX$3,856

-26.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,266 SEK 12.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-70.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.96 SEK 453

$47.10 MX$812

-2.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 SEK 360

$44.29 MX$764

-17.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 SEK 544

$80.1 MX$1,381

-31.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 SEK 570

$92.7 MX$1,598

-37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 SEK 7,464

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 SEK 5,285

$390 MX$6,728

37.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 SEK 9,533

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 SEK 7,040

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,196 SEK 41.3K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

4.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,926 SEK 28.8K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-55.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,489 SEK 24.5K

$758 MX$13.1K

228.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.45

-72.05%

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

Last update for Sala: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $757 in Sala versus $1,063 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 228% 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 $62.0 in Sala versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $276 – 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 28%, 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 $2,429 per month in Sala and $1,899 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 $1,619 in Sala and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $1,266, than in Sala at $1,619. 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.