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 $900 per month in Sanaa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Sanaa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Sanaa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sanaa is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sanaa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.11 YER 1,455

$11.73 MX$203

-47.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 YER 5,440

$41.62 MX$720

-45.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 YER 2,418

$10.64 MX$184

-4.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$3.72 YER 888

$3.52 MX$60.9

5.68%

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

$1.14 YER 273

$1.51 MX$26.12

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 YER 110

$0.97 MX$16.84

-52.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 YER 455

$1.38 MX$23.93

38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 YER 287

$1.89 MX$32.72

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 YER 589

$1.64 MX$28.32

50.61%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 959

$2.51 MX$43.34

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 YER 2,350

$8.34 MX$144

18.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 YER 1,625

$8.34 MX$144

-18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 YER 4,563

$10.73 MX$186

78.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 YER 933

$2.60 MX$45.04

50.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 YER 344

$1.46 MX$25.20

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 YER 574

$1.90 MX$32.87

26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 391

$2.08 MX$35.91

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 YER 405

$1.78 MX$30.71

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 YER 374

$2.19 MX$37.80

-28.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 YER 151

$1.04 MX$17.99

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 YER 176

$1.08 MX$18.62

-31.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 932

$4.08 MX$70.6

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.51 MX$8.81

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 YER 19.6K

$26.46 MX$458

210.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 YER 1,004

$3.26 MX$56.4

29.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 YER 952

$2.49 MX$43.09

60.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 YER 1,745

$3.25 MX$56.2

125.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.68 YER 640

$1.31 MX$22.61

104.58%

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

$16.4K YER 3.9M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-45.72%

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

$33.5K YER 8.0M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

43.05%

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

$72.3 YER 17.2K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-12.72%

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

$13.70 YER 3,266

$22.22 MX$384

-38.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.45 YER 9,163

$29.34 MX$507

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.6 YER 15.9K

$51.6 MX$893

29.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 YER 3,975

$18.32 MX$317

-8.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 YER 1,405

$5.07 MX$87.6

16.37%

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

$116 YER 27.5K

$201 MX$3,473

-42.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,808 YER 430.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-65.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.29 YER 9,363

$36.92 MX$639

6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 YER 35.2K

$39.79 MX$688

271.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.65 YER 9,924

$78.5 MX$1,357

-46.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 YER 10.1K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-51.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 YER 39.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-82.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.3 YER 22.7K

$468 MX$8,090

-79.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 YER 97.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-74.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 YER 63.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-78.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 YER 982.5K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

4.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$819 YER 195.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-87.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-71.22%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Sanaa 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.

Salaries run about 247% 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: $244 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 44%, 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 $1,350 per month in Sanaa 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 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 $900 in Sanaa and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 210% 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 $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.