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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,267 per month in Salto vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,876 per month in Salto vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Salto vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salto is about 1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Salto and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salto 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 UYU 794

$11.94 MX$208

67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.86 UYU 1,579

$42.75 MX$744

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 UYU 372

$10.59 MX$184

-11.33%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 122

$3.62 MX$63.0

-14.92%

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

$2.31 UYU 91.4

$1.47 MX$25.54

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 59.6

$0.94 MX$16.41

59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 172

$3.09 MX$53.8

40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 UYU 128

$4.46 MX$77.6

-27.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 UYU 40.74

$1.43 MX$24.80

-27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 UYU 47.06

$1.88 MX$32.79

-36.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.2

$1.63 MX$28.34

-11.66%

Eggs

$3.29 UYU 130

$2.64 MX$45.99

24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.42 UYU 770

$8.21 MX$143

136.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.33 UYU 290

$8.29 MX$144

-11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 398

$11.10 MX$193

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 UYU 38.22

$1.99 MX$34.59

-51.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 57.3

$2.08 MX$36.13

-30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 UYU 19.55

$1.08 MX$18.73

-54.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 UYU 47.94

$1.04 MX$18.04

16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 UYU 202

$3.97 MX$69.1

28.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 UYU 292

$10.20 MX$178

-27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 74.6

$1.73 MX$30.04

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 89.8

$2.50 MX$43.46

-9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 48.94

$0.52 MX$9.02

138.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.29 UYU 1,755

$26.97 MX$469

64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 UYU 58.7

$3.14 MX$54.7

-52.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 59.7

$2.40 MX$41.80

-37.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.82 UYU 429

$3.09 MX$53.7

250.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 74.8

$1.27 MX$22.16

48.82%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

27.86%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

69.31%

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

$183 UYU 7,262

$82.0 MX$1,427

123.51%

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

$20.35 UYU 806

$22.45 MX$391

-9.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.98 UYU 1,346

$29.66 MX$516

14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 UYU 1,247

$51.9 MX$903

-39.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 UYU 377

$4.97 MX$86.5

91.55%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 UYU 2,715

$36.34 MX$632

88.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 UYU 2,436

$40.05 MX$697

53.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,382

$79.9 MX$1,390

38.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,693

$88.9 MX$1,547

-23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 UYU 16.8K

$963 MX$16.8K

-55.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.0K

$465 MX$8,086

-40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 UYU 29.8K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 UYU 18.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-61.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 UYU 25.4K

$720 MX$12.5K

-11.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Salto: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 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.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Salto versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $251 – making Salto 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,901 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.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,267 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Salto and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $1,267, 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.

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.

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 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.