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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,166 per month in Saldus vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Saldus vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Saldus vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saldus is about 11% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Saldus and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saldus 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.53 €14.24

$11.96 MX$203

38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 €59.6

$47.38 MX$804

45.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 €8.19

$11.75 MX$199

-19.15%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.39

$4.12 MX$70.0

-4.61%

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

$1.59 €1.37

$1.40 MX$23.74

13.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.91 MX$15.48

37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 €4.87

$3.21 MX$54.4

76.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.10

$7.07 MX$120

-32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.68 MX$28.44

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.15 MX$36.48

-27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.77 MX$30.10

44.07%

Eggs

$3.95 €3.40

$2.82 MX$47.76

40.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 €9.46

$9.20 MX$156

19.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 €7.53

$9.23 MX$157

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.53 €12.52

$12.64 MX$214

14.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.95 MX$50.1

-26.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.58 MX$26.79

18.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 €2.13

$2.22 MX$37.70

11.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.36 MX$40.09

37.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.99 MX$33.81

-55.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.98 MX$33.58

-47.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.24 MX$21.04

49.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.21 MX$20.55

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 €6.10

$4.60 MX$78.1

53.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 €6.84

$10.52 MX$178

-24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.69 MX$28.70

25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.77 MX$47.06

-23.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 €3.09

$5.24 MX$88.8

-31.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.66 €16.08

$5.78 MX$98.1

222.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.54 MX$26.09

31.82%

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

$28.2K €24.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

23.47%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

22.70%

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

$375 €323

$90.7 MX$1,538

313.18%

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

$21.13 €18.22

$25.19 MX$427

-16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.86 €17.12

$31.75 MX$539

-37.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 €9.77

$4.86 MX$82.5

133.13%

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

$648 €558

$226 MX$3,828

187.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K €16.0K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

342.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 €60.8

$47.38 MX$804

48.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 €43.87

$43.45 MX$737

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 €76.2

$80.2 MX$1,361

10.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €122

$91.4 MX$1,550

54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

11.45

-59.48%

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

Last update for Saldus: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Saldus versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Saldus vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Saldus wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,749 per month in Saldus and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,166 in Saldus and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $648 per month in Saldus and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saldus, where all-in costs run around $1,166, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Saldus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saldus – 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 Saldus. 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.