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 $802 per month in Salento vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Salento vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,597 per month in Salento vs $2,980 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 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 COP 13.5K

$11.87 MX$204

-67.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.55 COP 82.2K

$42.90 MX$736

-45.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 COP 25.8K

$10.65 MX$183

-30.61%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,227

$3.45 MX$59.2

-56.52%

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

$0.89 COP 3,093

$1.50 MX$25.81

-40.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,960

$0.95 MX$16.28

-41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,154

$3.03 MX$51.9

-60.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,473

$4.61 MX$79.1

-53.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,872

$1.38 MX$23.61

-19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,476

$1.85 MX$31.70

-30.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,941

$1.61 MX$27.65

-29.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,639

$2.59 MX$44.51

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 15.7K

$8.26 MX$142

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 COP 18.0K

$8.37 MX$144

-38.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.0K

$10.66 MX$183

-32.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 COP 8,611

$2.63 MX$45.12

-6.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,801

$1.49 MX$25.53

-26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,536

$1.92 MX$32.94

-32.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,835

$2.09 MX$35.81

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,864

$1.86 MX$31.88

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,933

$2.26 MX$38.81

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,849

$1.06 MX$18.23

-22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,406

$1.09 MX$18.67

-36.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,183

$4.15 MX$71.2

-43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 COP 33.6K

$10.39 MX$178

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 COP 3,764

$1.72 MX$29.59

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,219

$2.61 MX$44.85

-31.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,534

$0.54 MX$9.30

35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 COP 103.7K

$26.94 MX$462

10.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,016

$3.13 MX$53.7

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 COP 6,232

$2.51 MX$43.09

-28.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 COP 21.1K

$3.15 MX$54.1

91.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,235

$1.27 MX$21.88

-26.77%

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

$17.7K COP 61.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-41.63%

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

$25.2K COP 88.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

6.97%

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

$83.2 COP 290.5K

$83.0 MX$1,425

0.29%

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

$8.85 COP 30.9K

$22.71 MX$390

-61.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.58 COP 78.8K

$29.46 MX$506

-23.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.94 COP 80.1K

$51.0 MX$875

-55.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 13.8K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-19.68%

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

$243 COP 846.7K

$197 MX$3,386

22.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,075 COP 21.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

15.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 COP 206.3K

$36.90 MX$633

60.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 112.4K

$39.89 MX$685

-19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 COP 294.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 COP 249.2K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-20.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 936.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-71.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 832.2K

$477 MX$8,189

-50.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 COP 1.8M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-67.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 COP 1.4M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-66.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.9M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-64.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,046 COP 3.7M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-83.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Salento versus $956 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: $173 vs $250 – 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 59%, 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 $1,203 per month in Salento and $1,906 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 $802 in Salento and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $802, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.