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 $914 per month in Sanaa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Sanaa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,006 per month in Sanaa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sanaa is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sanaa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.33 YER 1,499

$11.99 MX$210

-47.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 YER 5,433

$41.78 MX$733

-45.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 YER 2,479

$10.75 MX$189

-2.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

Cappuccino

$3.69 YER 873

$3.50 MX$61.3

5.43%

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

$1.16 YER 274

$1.45 MX$25.41

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 YER 111

$0.88 MX$15.52

-46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 YER 446

$1.43 MX$25.12

31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 YER 289

$1.84 MX$32.23

-33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 YER 588

$1.57 MX$27.51

57.96%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 953

$2.51 MX$44.06

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 YER 2,337

$8.28 MX$145

19.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 YER 1,582

$8.43 MX$148

-20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 YER 4,397

$10.68 MX$187

73.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 YER 912

$2.61 MX$45.76

47.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 YER 329

$1.44 MX$25.22

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 YER 566

$1.96 MX$34.41

21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 389

$2.09 MX$36.74

-21.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 YER 424

$1.85 MX$32.47

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 YER 384

$2.17 MX$38.02

-25.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 YER 149

$1.03 MX$18.09

-38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 YER 172

$1.07 MX$18.84

-31.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 YER 958

$4.10 MX$72.0

-1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.51 MX$8.93

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.8 YER 19.4K

$26.04 MX$457

214.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 YER 982

$3.23 MX$56.7

28.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 YER 953

$2.41 MX$42.19

67.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 YER 1,661

$3.23 MX$56.6

117.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.74 YER 648

$1.32 MX$23.17

107.58%

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

$16.7K YER 3.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-43.87%

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

$33.9K YER 8.0M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

43.31%

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

$71.5 YER 16.9K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-12.84%

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

$13.56 YER 3,209

$22.95 MX$403

-40.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.21 YER 9,042

$30.11 MX$528

26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 16.0K

$52.0 MX$912

29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.43 YER 3,889

$18.53 MX$325

-11.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 YER 1,394

$4.98 MX$87.3

18.27%

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

$112 YER 26.6K

$197 MX$3,463

-43.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,809 YER 428.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-66.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.44 YER 9,336

$35.60 MX$624

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$147 YER 34.8K

$40.33 MX$707

264.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.85 YER 9,668

$78.8 MX$1,381

-48.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.77 YER 9,885

$88.9 MX$1,560

-53.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 YER 39.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-82.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.4 YER 22.6K

$474 MX$8,314

-79.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 YER 95.4K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-75.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 YER 61.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-78.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,070 YER 963.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

0.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 YER 191.1K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-87.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 YER 45.0K

$654 MX$11.5K

-70.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.42

-1.49%

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

Last update for Sanaa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Sanaa versus $947 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 244% 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 $23.00 in Sanaa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $249 – 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 37%, 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 $1,371 per month in Sanaa and $1,884 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 $914 in Sanaa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 214% 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 $914, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.