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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $813 per month in Salento vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,207 per month in Salento vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,601 per month in Salento vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salento is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Salento and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salento 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 COP 14.5K

$11.94 MX$208

-66.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.54 COP 85.6K

$42.75 MX$744

-44.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 COP 26.9K

$10.59 MX$184

-30.12%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,639

$3.62 MX$63.0

-57.18%

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

$0.93 COP 3,373

$1.47 MX$25.54

-36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,196

$0.94 MX$16.41

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,213

$3.09 MX$53.8

-62.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 COP 7,992

$4.46 MX$77.6

-50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,854

$1.43 MX$24.80

-25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,524

$1.88 MX$32.79

-34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,267

$1.63 MX$28.34

-28.22%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 8,030

$2.64 MX$45.99

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 COP 16.6K

$8.21 MX$143

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 COP 19.1K

$8.29 MX$144

-36.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$11.10 MX$193

-34.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 COP 9,171

$2.65 MX$46.14

-4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,816

$1.50 MX$26.11

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,773

$1.99 MX$34.59

-34.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 4,006

$2.08 MX$36.13

-47.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,070

$1.79 MX$31.11

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,110

$2.18 MX$37.87

-48.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,917

$1.08 MX$18.73

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,365

$1.04 MX$18.04

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,469

$3.97 MX$69.1

-41.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.45 COP 34.4K

$10.20 MX$178

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,997

$1.73 MX$30.04

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 6,402

$2.50 MX$43.46

-29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,421

$0.52 MX$9.02

28.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 109.8K

$26.97 MX$469

11.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,225

$3.14 MX$54.7

-54.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,521

$2.40 MX$41.80

-25.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 22.6K

$3.09 MX$53.7

101.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,636

$1.27 MX$22.16

-21.26%

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

$17.8K COP 64.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-42.36%

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

$25.8K COP 94.0M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

10.86%

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

$82.4 COP 299.7K

$82.0 MX$1,427

0.48%

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

$9.12 COP 33.2K

$22.45 MX$391

-59.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.47 COP 81.7K

$29.66 MX$516

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 COP 84.5K

$51.9 MX$903

-55.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.00 COP 14.5K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-19.52%

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

$240 COP 873.9K

$198 MX$3,442

21.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,005 COP 21.8M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

13.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 217.2K

$36.34 MX$632

64.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 117.8K

$40.05 MX$697

-19.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 COP 299.5K

$79.9 MX$1,390

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 260.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 973.2K

$963 MX$16.8K

-72.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 COP 870.8K

$465 MX$8,086

-48.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 COP 1.9M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.5M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-65.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,435 COP 5.2M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-63.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,064 COP 3.9M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-83.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.42

14.36%

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

Last update for Salento: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Salento 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Salento versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $251 – making Salento 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,219 per month in Salento and $1,930 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 Salento, 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 $813 in Salento and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Salento. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salento, where all-in costs run around $813, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Salento it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salento – 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 Salento. 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.