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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Saltillo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,990 per month in Saltillo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Saltillo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saltillo is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saltillo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saltillo 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.94 MX$138

$11.73 MX$203

-32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.15 MX$765

$41.62 MX$721

6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 MX$109

$10.64 MX$184

-40.60%

Cappuccino

$3.09 MX$53.6

$3.52 MX$61.0

-12.22%

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

$1.25 MX$21.60

$1.51 MX$26.17

-17.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.69

$0.97 MX$16.87

5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MX$36.10

$2.95 MX$51.1

-29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MX$64.8

$4.45 MX$77.2

-15.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.63

$1.38 MX$23.97

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 MX$55.9

$1.89 MX$32.78

70.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.40

$1.64 MX$28.37

10.37%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.59

$2.51 MX$43.42

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.34 MX$145

23.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 MX$145

$8.34 MX$145

0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 MX$169

$10.73 MX$186

-9.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$44.98

$2.60 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MX$21.00

$1.46 MX$25.25

-17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.84

$1.90 MX$32.94

-15.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.86

$2.08 MX$35.98

-8.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.60

$1.78 MX$30.77

21.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 MX$43.65

$2.19 MX$37.87

15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MX$20.34

$1.04 MX$18.02

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.89

$1.08 MX$18.66

-4.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 MX$62.5

$4.08 MX$70.7

-11.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.01 MX$191

$10.32 MX$179

6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 MX$39.44

$1.71 MX$29.67

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$2.58 MX$44.63

-45.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MX$13.11

$0.51 MX$8.83

49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.69 MX$272

$26.46 MX$459

-40.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 MX$44.83

$3.26 MX$56.5

-20.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 MX$30.21

$2.49 MX$43.17

-30.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.65 MX$184

$3.25 MX$56.3

227.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.54

$1.31 MX$22.65

-5.34%

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

$14.7K MX$254.5K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-51.49%

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

$24.5K MX$424.4K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

4.53%

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

$45.66 MX$791

$82.9 MX$1,436

-44.90%

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

$24.43 MX$423

$22.22 MX$385

9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.84 MX$500

$29.34 MX$508

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 MX$1,144

$51.6 MX$895

27.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.35 MX$231

$18.32 MX$317

-27.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MX$107

$5.07 MX$87.8

22.29%

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

$238 MX$4,123

$201 MX$3,480

18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,588 MX$44.9K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-50.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 MX$963

$36.92 MX$640

50.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 MX$953

$39.79 MX$689

38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MX$1,443

$78.5 MX$1,360

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MX$2,055

$87.1 MX$1,509

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 MX$9,609

$973 MX$16.9K

-42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 MX$8,365

$468 MX$8,105

3.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 MX$16.0K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-43.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-21.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$581 MX$10.1K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-85.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$929 MX$16.1K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-85.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$838 MX$14.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

26.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.42

-8.06%

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

Last update for Saltillo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $555 in Saltillo versus $973 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 26% higher in Saltillo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Saltillo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,855 per month in Saltillo and $1,945 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 Saltillo, 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 $1,236 in Saltillo and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Saltillo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saltillo, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Saltillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saltillo – 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 Saltillo. 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.