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 $1,146 per month in Sangre Grande vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Sangre Grande vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,571 per month in Sangre Grande vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sangre Grande is about 9% 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 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 TTD 57.4

$11.72 MX$203

-27.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.93 TTD 268

$41.89 MX$725

-4.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 TTD 48.18

$10.51 MX$182

-31.78%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.67

$3.59 MX$62.0

2.23%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.33

$1.51 MX$26.10

-27.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 TTD 5.46

$0.92 MX$15.83

-11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 TTD 12.65

$2.96 MX$51.2

-36.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 TTD 20.55

$4.41 MX$76.3

-30.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.72 TTD 18.26

$1.40 MX$24.16

94.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 TTD 16.06

$1.88 MX$32.60

27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.57

$1.56 MX$26.97

67.95%

Eggs

$5.07 TTD 34.02

$2.61 MX$45.14

94.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 TTD 53.4

$8.32 MX$144

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 TTD 32.01

$8.35 MX$145

-42.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 TTD 66.2

$10.86 MX$188

-9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TTD 19.75

$2.71 MX$46.93

8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 TTD 6.12

$1.51 MX$26.04

-39.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 TTD 19.51

$1.87 MX$32.41

55.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 TTD 15.19

$2.19 MX$37.89

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.56

$1.86 MX$32.14

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 TTD 11.10

$2.23 MX$38.59

-26.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 TTD 10.21

$1.07 MX$18.48

42.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 TTD 7.83

$1.09 MX$18.79

7.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 TTD 27.34

$4.19 MX$72.4

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 TTD 117

$10.43 MX$180

67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 TTD 14.41

$1.66 MX$28.68

29.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.84

$2.61 MX$45.19

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 TTD 7.66

$0.54 MX$9.37

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 TTD 880

$26.16 MX$453

400.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.08

$3.08 MX$53.3

-65.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 TTD 6.79

$2.40 MX$41.61

-57.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 TTD 100

$3.13 MX$54.1

377.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 TTD 7.08

$1.31 MX$22.69

-19.85%

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

$33.9K TTD 227.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

13.63%

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

$37.3K TTD 250.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

59.75%

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

$79.2 TTD 532

$81.3 MX$1,406

-2.60%

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

$47.13 TTD 316

$22.56 MX$390

108.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 421

$30.05 MX$520

108.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.34 TTD 298

$52.9 MX$915

-16.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 TTD 49.89

$18.39 MX$318

-59.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 TTD 66.4

$4.92 MX$85.1

101.02%

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

$179 TTD 1,205

$201 MX$3,474

-10.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,250 TTD 48.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 TTD 393

$35.92 MX$622

63.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.75 TTD 253

$40.13 MX$694

-5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 TTD 500

$79.7 MX$1,379

-6.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 845

$86.5 MX$1,496

45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 TTD 1,816

$978 MX$16.9K

-72.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 TTD 1,178

$470 MX$8,140

-62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 TTD 4,043

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 TTD 2,947

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-63.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Sangre Grande versus $978 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 $40.00 in Sangre Grande versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Sangre Grande vs $252 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 10%, 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 $1,718 per month in Sangre Grande and $1,890 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 $1,146 in Sangre Grande and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 401% 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 $1,146, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.