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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Sale vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Sale vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,736 per month in Sale vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sale is about 38% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sale and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MAD 42.83

$11.72 MX$203

-60.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 MAD 305

$41.89 MX$725

-22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 MAD 64.2

$10.51 MX$182

-34.54%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MAD 19.08

$3.59 MX$62.0

-42.90%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.03

$1.51 MX$26.10

-56.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.75

$0.92 MX$15.83

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.5

$2.96 MX$51.2

83.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.54

$4.41 MX$76.3

-6.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.31

$1.40 MX$24.16

-36.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.11

$1.88 MX$32.60

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.08

$1.56 MX$26.97

24.36%

Eggs

$2.07 MAD 19.27

$2.61 MX$45.14

-20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 MAD 120

$8.32 MX$144

54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.4

$8.35 MX$145

-25.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 108

$10.86 MX$188

6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.64

$2.71 MX$46.93

-42.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.43

$1.51 MX$26.04

-11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.79

$1.87 MX$32.41

-49.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.34

$2.19 MX$37.89

-59.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 6.98

$1.86 MX$32.14

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.08

$2.23 MX$38.59

-65.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.97

$1.07 MX$18.48

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.97

$1.09 MX$18.79

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.05

$4.19 MX$72.4

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MAD 44.71

$10.43 MX$180

-53.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.50

$1.66 MX$28.68

65.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 23.06

$2.61 MX$45.19

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.99

$0.54 MX$9.37

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.24 MAD 226

$26.16 MX$453

-7.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 5.03

$3.08 MX$53.3

-82.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$2.40 MX$41.61

-78.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MAD 40.01

$3.13 MX$54.1

37.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.23

$1.31 MX$22.69

16.79%

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

$37.6K MAD 351.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

26.29%

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

$29.8K MAD 277.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

27.72%

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

$33.53 MAD 313

$81.3 MX$1,406

-58.75%

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

$11.05 MAD 103

$22.56 MX$390

-51.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.02 MAD 429

$30.05 MX$520

53.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 MAD 136

$52.9 MX$915

-72.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 212

$18.39 MX$318

23.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MAD 60.7

$4.92 MX$85.1

32.32%

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

$111 MAD 1,039

$201 MX$3,474

-44.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,308 MAD 58.8K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

21.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.92 MAD 391

$35.92 MX$622

16.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 473

$40.13 MX$694

26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 991

$79.7 MX$1,379

33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MAD 914

$86.5 MX$1,496

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,664

$978 MX$16.9K

-70.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,649

$470 MX$8,140

-62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MAD 4,709

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-69.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MAD 2,818

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-74.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 MAD 7,951

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-87.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MAD 5,046

$677 MX$11.7K

-20.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.42

-57.88%

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

Last update for Sale: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Sale 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 25% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $33.00 in Sale versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $252 – making Sale 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Sale 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 Sale, 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 $776 in Sale 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 8% less in Sale. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.