🙂A single person spends $780 per month in Salto vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Salto vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,729 per month in Salto vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂Salto is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Salto and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salto42% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.42R$31.98
$11.94MX$208
-46.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.20R$125
$42.75MX$744
-41.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.37R$31.73
$10.59MX$184
-39.85%
Cappuccino
$1.74R$8.65
$3.62MX$63.0
-51.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97R$4.83
$1.47MX$25.54
-34.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74R$3.67
$0.94MX$16.41
-21.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.79R$8.91
$3.09MX$53.8
-42.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72R$13.53
$4.46MX$77.6
-39.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$0.91R$4.54
$1.43MX$24.80
-36.36%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54R$7.65
$1.88MX$32.79
-18.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.09R$5.43
$1.63MX$28.34
-33.13%
Eggs
$2.27R$11.30
$2.64MX$45.99
-14.02%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.37R$41.66
$8.21MX$143
1.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42R$17.02
$8.29MX$144
-58.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.85R$44.05
$11.10MX$193
-20.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.27R$11.33
$2.65MX$46.14
-14.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81R$9.02
$1.50MX$26.11
20.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.47R$7.32
$1.99MX$34.59
-26.13%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59R$7.93
$2.08MX$36.13
-23.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24R$6.19
$1.79MX$31.11
-30.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.10R$5.46
$2.18MX$37.87
-49.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.80R$4.00
$1.08MX$18.73
-25.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44R$2.18
$1.04MX$18.04
-57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.31R$11.51
$3.97MX$69.1
-41.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.56R$47.62
$10.20MX$178
-6.27%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33R$6.63
$1.73MX$30.04
-23.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38R$16.83
$2.50MX$43.46
35.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88R$4.38
$0.52MX$9.02
69.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.14R$195
$26.97MX$469
45.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.94R$4.69
$3.14MX$54.7
-70.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.07R$5.32
$2.40MX$41.80
-55.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.83R$43.96
$3.09MX$53.7
185.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02R$5.07
$1.27MX$22.16
-19.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0KR$109.8K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
-28.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3KR$146.0K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
25.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$35.77R$178
$82.0MX$1,427
-56.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.21R$45.87
$22.45MX$391
-58.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.94R$89.3
$29.66MX$516
-39.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.27R$111
$51.9MX$903
-57.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.69R$108
$18.67MX$325
16.18%
Cinema Ticket
$2.64R$13.17
$4.97MX$86.5
-46.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$237R$1,181
$198MX$3,442
19.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,892R$34.3K
$5,273MX$91.7K
30.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4R$286
$36.34MX$632
57.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5R$252
$40.05MX$697
26.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5R$421
$79.9MX$1,390
5.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4R$366
$88.9MX$1,547
-17.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$314R$1,563
$963MX$16.8K
-67.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$220R$1,095
$465MX$8,086
-52.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577R$2,871
$1,596MX$27.8K
-63.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$429R$2,138
$1,209MX$21.0K
-64.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,799R$8,957
$3,942MX$68.6K
-54.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,169R$5,822
$6,448MX$112.2K
-81.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Salto
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.92
11.42
-4.38%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Salto: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Salto 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 $25.00 in Salto versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $251 – making Salto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Salto vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Salto?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,169 per month in Salto and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Salto, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Salto vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $780 in Salto and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Salto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Salto or Playa del Carmen?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Salto or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Salto – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Salto. 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.