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 $1,331 per month in Salto vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Salto vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,558 per month in Salto vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salto and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 UYU 653

$13.02 MX$221

24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.59 UYU 1,512

$46.25 MX$784

-18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 UYU 476

$12.59 MX$213

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$3.23 UYU 130

$4.00 MX$67.9

-19.25%

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

$2.21 UYU 89.0

$1.42 MX$24.08

55.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 UYU 64.1

$0.81 MX$13.73

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.41 UYU 177

$3.05 MX$51.7

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 UYU 121

$6.82 MX$116

-55.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 UYU 58.1

$1.71 MX$29.04

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 UYU 83.4

$2.22 MX$37.62

-6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.6

$1.72 MX$29.13

-12.21%

Eggs

$5.11 UYU 205

$2.71 MX$45.99

88.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 UYU 609

$9.37 MX$159

61.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 UYU 341

$8.86 MX$150

-4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 UYU 406

$12.78 MX$217

-20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 UYU 51.0

$3.13 MX$53.0

-59.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 UYU 88.2

$1.55 MX$26.24

41.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.76

$2.15 MX$36.51

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

$2.35 MX$39.89

-22.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 UYU 36.69

$2.02 MX$34.23

-54.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.8

$1.99 MX$33.67

-16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 UYU 34.95

$1.24 MX$21.09

-29.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 UYU 61.7

$1.19 MX$20.21

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 UYU 208

$4.65 MX$78.8

11.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 UYU 308

$10.47 MX$177

-26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 UYU 74.0

$1.58 MX$26.82

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 UYU 102

$2.92 MX$49.48

-12.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 UYU 36.26

$0.56 MX$9.53

60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.55 UYU 1,510

$29.76 MX$504

26.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 UYU 61.0

$5.32 MX$90.2

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 UYU 108

$3.72 MX$63.0

-27.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.00 UYU 442

$5.78 MX$97.9

90.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.8

$1.55 MX$26.27

21.29%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

77.12%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

54.40%

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

$196 UYU 7,877

$89.3 MX$1,513

119.41%

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

$21.26 UYU 855

$23.30 MX$395

-8.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 UYU 1,186

$31.72 MX$538

-6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.61 UYU 1,472

$68.8 MX$1,165

-46.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.56 UYU 505

$29.40 MX$498

-57.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 UYU 391

$5.06 MX$85.7

92.29%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,548 UYU 182.9K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

5.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 UYU 3,481

$46.21 MX$783

87.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 UYU 2,249

$44.43 MX$753

25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,647

$95.5 MX$1,618

21.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 UYU 2,611

$92.5 MX$1,568

-29.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 UYU 18.1K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 UYU 11.8K

$393 MX$6,663

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 UYU 30.1K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-62.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 UYU 17.2K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-67.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 UYU 24.5K

$747 MX$12.7K

-18.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Salto: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Salto versus $1,069 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 23% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Salto versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $277 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,997 per month in Salto and $1,995 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Salto and $46.00 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Salto at $1,331. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.