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 $1,262 per month in Salto vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,891 per month in Salto vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,521 per month in Salto vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salto is about 2% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 UYU 798

$11.73 MX$202

68.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.49 UYU 1,592

$41.78 MX$719

-5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 UYU 370

$10.41 MX$179

-11.82%

Cappuccino

$3.13 UYU 126

$3.61 MX$62.1

-13.30%

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

$2.33 UYU 93.8

$1.46 MX$25.06

59.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$0.97 MX$16.70

55.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 UYU 176

$2.92 MX$50.3

48.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 UYU 127

$4.62 MX$79.5

-31.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 UYU 38.79

$1.43 MX$24.59

-32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UYU 49.86

$1.90 MX$32.70

-34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.3

$1.57 MX$26.95

-7.64%

Eggs

$3.34 UYU 135

$2.64 MX$45.34

26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.36 UYU 781

$8.44 MX$145

129.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 UYU 300

$8.58 MX$148

-13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.99 UYU 403

$11.00 MX$189

-9.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 UYU 40.98

$1.91 MX$32.93

-46.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.5

$2.17 MX$37.37

-33.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 UYU 19.66

$1.08 MX$18.60

-54.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UYU 50.6

$1.07 MX$18.47

16.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 UYU 205

$4.16 MX$71.6

22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 UYU 291

$10.29 MX$177

-29.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 UYU 72.3

$1.68 MX$28.95

6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$2.53 MX$43.59

-15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 48.42

$0.55 MX$9.53

118.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.61 UYU 1,799

$26.29 MX$452

69.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 57.6

$3.20 MX$55.0

-55.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 60.8

$2.46 MX$42.37

-38.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.05 UYU 446

$3.20 MX$55.0

245.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 UYU 76.5

$1.32 MX$22.72

43.94%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

30.02%

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

$38.5K UYU 1.6M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

64.56%

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

$186 UYU 7,483

$81.4 MX$1,400

128.14%

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

$19.80 UYU 798

$22.41 MX$386

-11.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.57 UYU 1,394

$29.97 MX$516

15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.98 UYU 1,290

$51.6 MX$887

-37.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 UYU 394

$5.16 MX$88.9

89.15%

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 UYU 2,670

$35.61 MX$613

85.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 UYU 2,508

$40.37 MX$695

54.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,496

$78.6 MX$1,353

41.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.7 UYU 2,731

$86.9 MX$1,495

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 UYU 17.5K

$950 MX$16.3K

-54.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 UYU 11.2K

$478 MX$8,227

-41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 UYU 30.3K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-53.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 UYU 19.1K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-61.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 UYU 24.7K

$673 MX$11.6K

-9.05%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Salto versus $950 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 10% 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 $39.00 in Salto versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $254 – 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 3%, 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 $1,893 per month in Salto and $1,941 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 $1,262 in Salto and $1,294 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 $39.00 in Salto and $42.00 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 $1,262, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.