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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Sanaa vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Sanaa vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Sanaa vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sanaa is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sanaa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.18 YER 1,462

$11.71 MX$198

-47.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 YER 6,068

$46.59 MX$788

-44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 YER 2,312

$11.65 MX$197

-16.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 582

Cappuccino

$3.79 YER 897

$4.09 MX$69.2

-7.33%

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

$1.18 YER 280

$1.37 MX$23.23

-13.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 YER 153

$0.83 MX$14.09

-21.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 YER 472

$1.73 MX$29.20

15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 YER 403

$2.26 MX$38.21

-24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 486

$1.77 MX$29.91

15.82%

Eggs

$3.53 YER 836

$2.73 MX$46.19

29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 YER 4,038

$9.18 MX$155

85.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 YER 2,001

$8.92 MX$151

-5.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 YER 4,391

$12.60 MX$213

47.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 YER 809

$3.02 MX$51.1

13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 YER 241

$1.57 MX$26.55

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 YER 523

$2.13 MX$35.93

3.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 YER 369

$2.26 MX$38.28

-30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$2.00 MX$33.88

-26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 YER 312

$2.06 MX$34.90

-35.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 YER 283

$1.18 MX$19.94

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 YER 150

$1.20 MX$20.35

-47.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 YER 786

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 YER 422

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 812

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 YER 1,309

$4.63 MX$78.4

19.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 YER 103

$0.57 MX$9.69

-22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.5 YER 19.8K

$29.83 MX$504

179.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 YER 1,009

$5.45 MX$92.1

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 YER 505

$3.70 MX$62.6

-42.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 YER 1,769

$5.98 MX$101

24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 YER 479

$1.55 MX$26.26

30.32%

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

$17.1K YER 4.0M

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-23.43%

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

$35.4K YER 8.4M

$25.9K MX$438.7K

36.44%

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

$109 YER 25.9K

$89.1 MX$1,507

22.78%

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

$23.95 YER 5,669

$25.04 MX$423

-4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 YER 23.8K

$31.50 MX$532

219.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 YER 15.6K

$67.8 MX$1,146

-2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 YER 3,768

$28.92 MX$489

-44.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 YER 1,384

$5.05 MX$85.4

15.84%

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

$114 YER 27.0K

$225 MX$3,803

-49.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,204 YER 521.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-47.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 YER 9,943

$47.44 MX$802

-11.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.9K

$44.98 MX$760

171.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.26 YER 11.2K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-42.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.14 YER 9,501

$92.1 MX$1,557

-56.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 YER 51.5K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-79.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.3 YER 22.8K

$405 MX$6,852

-76.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 YER 96.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-78.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 YER 63.7K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-79.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,221 YER 999.2K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

5.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 YER 188.7K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-87.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.2K

$749 MX$12.7K

-74.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.45

-1.75%

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

Last update for Sanaa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Sanaa 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 292% 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 $26.00 in Sanaa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $277 – making Sanaa 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,535 per month in Sanaa and $1,940 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 Sanaa, 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 $1,024 in Sanaa and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 180% less in Sanaa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanaa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sanaa. 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.