Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Sakhon and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Sakhon and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $885 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Samut Sakhon is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Samut Sakhon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Samut Sakhon 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 ฿60.0

$11.73 MX$205

-84.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿617

$41.62 MX$727

-54.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ฿200

$10.64 MX$186

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$1.19 ฿39.20

$3.52 MX$61.5

-66.19%

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

$0.35 ฿11.64

$1.51 MX$26.37

-76.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.60

$0.97 MX$17.00

-67.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.95 MX$51.5

-34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ฿81.3

$4.45 MX$77.8

-44.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿55.4

$1.38 MX$24.16

22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.31

$1.89 MX$33.04

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.36

$1.64 MX$28.59

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.33 ฿76.6

$2.51 MX$43.76

-7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 ฿506

$8.34 MX$146

85.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 ฿108

$8.34 MX$146

-60.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 ฿374

$10.73 MX$187

6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿107

$2.60 MX$45.48

25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.77

$1.46 MX$25.45

-8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.8

$1.90 MX$33.19

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.08

$2.08 MX$36.26

-32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.35

$1.78 MX$31.01

-17.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.49

$2.19 MX$38.16

-45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 ฿55.2

$1.04 MX$18.16

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.81

$1.08 MX$18.80

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ฿155

$4.08 MX$71.3

16.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 ฿561

$10.32 MX$180

65.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.71 MX$29.90

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ฿77.5

$2.58 MX$44.98

-8.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ฿12.39

$0.51 MX$8.90

-25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$3.26 MX$57.0

-67.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.04

$2.49 MX$43.51

-49.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ฿113

$3.25 MX$56.7

6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.39

$1.31 MX$22.83

-8.40%

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

$25.9K ฿849.4K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-14.51%

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

$26.7K ฿875.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

13.89%

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

$76.9 ฿2,522

$82.9 MX$1,447

-7.26%

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

$13.81 ฿453

$22.22 MX$388

-37.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ฿596

$29.34 MX$512

-38.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.11 ฿1,611

$51.6 MX$902

-4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.35 ฿405

$18.32 MX$320

-32.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿259

$5.07 MX$88.5

55.82%

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

$296 ฿9,704

$201 MX$3,507

47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,193 ฿301.6K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

76.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.08 ฿987

$36.92 MX$645

-18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 ฿641

$39.79 MX$695

-50.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 ฿3,264

$78.5 MX$1,370

26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 ฿1,422

$87.1 MX$1,521

-50.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿14.0K

$973 MX$17.0K

-56.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,370

$468 MX$8,169

-38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 ฿26.5K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-50.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿21.9K

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-45.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 ฿74.3K

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-42.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,507 ฿49.5K

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-76.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Samut Sakhon 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Samut Sakhon vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,328 per month in Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon, 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 $885 in Samut Sakhon and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $296 per month in Samut Sakhon and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samut Sakhon, where all-in costs run around $885, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Samut Sakhon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samut Sakhon – 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 Samut Sakhon. 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.