Cost of Living Comparison Between Sangre Grande and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sangre Grande and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,138 per month in Sangre Grande vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in Sangre Grande vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,520 per month in Sangre Grande vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sangre Grande is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sangre Grande and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sangre Grande 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.40 TTD 56.8

$11.87 MX$204

-29.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.01 TTD 270

$42.90 MX$736

-6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 TTD 49.17

$10.65 MX$183

-31.74%

Cappuccino

$3.68 TTD 24.87

$3.45 MX$59.2

6.67%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.04

$1.50 MX$25.81

-30.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.55

$0.95 MX$16.28

-13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.73

$3.03 MX$51.9

-37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 TTD 20.39

$4.61 MX$79.1

-34.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.75 TTD 18.62

$1.38 MX$23.61

99.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 TTD 16.16

$1.85 MX$31.70

29.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.63

$1.61 MX$27.65

62.11%

Eggs

$4.95 TTD 33.46

$2.59 MX$44.51

91.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 TTD 51.4

$8.26 MX$142

-7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 TTD 32.30

$8.37 MX$144

-42.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 TTD 68.0

$10.66 MX$183

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 TTD 20.58

$2.63 MX$45.12

15.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 TTD 6.13

$1.49 MX$25.53

-38.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 TTD 19.66

$1.92 MX$32.94

51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 TTD 14.62

$2.09 MX$35.81

3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.16

$1.86 MX$31.88

-19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.31

$2.26 MX$38.81

-26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 TTD 10.08

$1.06 MX$18.23

40.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TTD 7.86

$1.09 MX$18.67

6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 TTD 27.35

$4.15 MX$71.2

-2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 TTD 126

$10.39 MX$178

78.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.46

$1.72 MX$29.59

24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 TTD 18.65

$2.61 MX$44.85

5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 TTD 8.02

$0.54 MX$9.30

120.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$129 TTD 870

$26.94 MX$462

377.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 TTD 7.06

$3.13 MX$53.7

-66.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 TTD 6.79

$2.51 MX$43.09

-60.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 TTD 102

$3.15 MX$54.1

376.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 TTD 7.08

$1.27 MX$21.88

-17.32%

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

$33.5K TTD 226.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

10.27%

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

$36.8K TTD 249.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

56.27%

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

$81.0 TTD 548

$83.0 MX$1,425

-2.42%

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

$46.28 TTD 313

$22.71 MX$390

103.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 TTD 423

$29.46 MX$506

112.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.43 TTD 300

$51.0 MX$875

-12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 TTD 50.6

$18.33 MX$315

-59.19%

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 TTD 69.0

$4.93 MX$84.5

106.90%

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

$180 TTD 1,215

$197 MX$3,386

-8.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,141 TTD 48.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

35.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 TTD 406

$36.90 MX$633

62.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 TTD 263

$39.89 MX$685

-2.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 TTD 502

$80.0 MX$1,373

-7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 TTD 883

$89.5 MX$1,536

45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 TTD 1,834

$956 MX$16.4K

-71.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 TTD 1,214

$477 MX$8,189

-62.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 TTD 3,970

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 TTD 2,956

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-64.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 TTD 3,949

$667 MX$11.4K

-12.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-64.97%

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

Last update for Sangre Grande: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $271 in Sangre Grande versus $956 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 14% 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 $40.00 in Sangre Grande versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Sangre Grande vs $250 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,707 per month in Sangre Grande and $1,906 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 Sangre Grande, 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 $1,138 in Sangre Grande and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 378% less in Sangre Grande. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sangre Grande, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sangre Grande it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sangre Grande – 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 Sangre Grande. 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.