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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,204 per month in Salento vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,594 per month in Salento vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salento is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Salento and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salento 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.85 COP 12.2K

$11.60 MX$200

-66.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.18 COP 73.6K

$47.11 MX$811

-50.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 COP 23.3K

$11.88 MX$205

-38.13%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,759

$3.98 MX$68.5

-62.31%

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

$0.91 COP 2,897

$1.43 MX$24.57

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,909

$0.82 MX$14.20

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 3,767

$3.19 MX$54.9

-62.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 COP 7,004

$6.79 MX$117

-67.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,339

$1.68 MX$28.85

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 3,923

$2.20 MX$37.83

-43.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,615

$1.71 MX$29.41

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.12 COP 6,722

$2.74 MX$47.20

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 COP 14.5K

$9.58 MX$165

-52.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 COP 17.1K

$9.01 MX$155

-40.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 COP 22.9K

$12.81 MX$221

-43.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 COP 7,809

$2.89 MX$49.74

-14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,299

$1.50 MX$25.78

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.15 MX$36.98

-39.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,519

$2.26 MX$38.91

-50.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,551

$1.98 MX$34.10

-43.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,712

$1.99 MX$34.26

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 2,792

$1.23 MX$21.25

-28.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,023

$1.20 MX$20.60

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 COP 7,727

$4.55 MX$78.3

-46.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 COP 29.8K

$10.37 MX$179

-9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,451

$1.62 MX$27.88

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 5,457

$2.88 MX$49.60

-40.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,315

$0.60 MX$10.34

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.31 COP 96.2K

$28.80 MX$496

5.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,660

$5.39 MX$92.8

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,443

$3.73 MX$64.2

-54.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 COP 19.1K

$5.77 MX$99.3

4.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,133

$1.54 MX$26.45

-35.71%

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

$17.8K COP 56.4M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

-21.23%

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

$24.9K COP 79.1M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-4.40%

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

$82.6 COP 262.4K

$91.4 MX$1,573

-9.56%

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

$8.86 COP 28.1K

$25.20 MX$434

-64.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 COP 72.1K

$31.24 MX$538

-27.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 COP 73.7K

$67.2 MX$1,157

-65.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 COP 12.6K

$4.86 MX$83.7

-18.31%

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

$236 COP 750.1K

$224 MX$3,851

5.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,055 COP 19.2M

$4,229 MX$72.8K

43.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 COP 185.9K

$47.10 MX$811

24.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 COP 103.7K

$44.29 MX$763

-26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 COP 261.3K

$80.1 MX$1,379

2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 COP 233.3K

$92.7 MX$1,596

-20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 COP 848.6K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-74.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 763.0K

$390 MX$6,719

-38.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 COP 1.7M

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-75.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 COP 1.3M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-66.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,406 COP 4.5M

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-64.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 COP 3.3M

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-83.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.45

14.06%

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

Last update for Salento: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Salento 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Salento versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $276 – 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 56%, 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 $1,220 per month in Salento 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 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% 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 $1,266. 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.