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 $1,158 per month in Sangre Grande vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,873 per month in Sangre Grande vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,588 per month in Sangre Grande vs $3,082 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 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.55 TTD 58.0

$11.94 MX$208

-28.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.59 TTD 276

$42.75 MX$744

-5.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.37 TTD 50.0

$10.59 MX$184

-30.41%

Cappuccino

$3.65 TTD 24.75

$3.62 MX$63.0

0.83%

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

$1.04 TTD 7.07

$1.47 MX$25.54

-29.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.59

$0.94 MX$16.41

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.93

$3.09 MX$53.8

-38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 TTD 21.28

$4.46 MX$77.6

-29.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.88

$1.43 MX$24.80

83.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 TTD 16.00

$1.88 MX$32.79

25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.53

$1.63 MX$28.34

58.28%

Eggs

$5.06 TTD 34.34

$2.64 MX$45.99

91.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 TTD 52.9

$8.21 MX$143

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 TTD 33.49

$8.29 MX$144

-40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 TTD 68.5

$11.10 MX$193

-9.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TTD 19.93

$2.65 MX$46.14

10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 TTD 6.30

$1.50 MX$26.11

-38.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 TTD 19.51

$1.99 MX$34.59

44.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 TTD 14.68

$2.08 MX$36.13

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 10.01

$1.79 MX$31.11

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.70

$2.18 MX$37.87

-21.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 TTD 9.83

$1.08 MX$18.73

34.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TTD 7.82

$1.04 MX$18.04

10.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 TTD 27.52

$3.97 MX$69.1

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.75 TTD 134

$10.20 MX$178

93.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 TTD 14.54

$1.73 MX$30.04

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TTD 19.18

$2.50 MX$43.46

13.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 TTD 8.09

$0.52 MX$9.02

128.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 TTD 861

$26.97 MX$469

370.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 TTD 7.18

$3.14 MX$54.7

-66.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 TTD 7.20

$2.40 MX$41.80

-55.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 TTD 99.2

$3.09 MX$53.7

372.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 TTD 6.87

$1.27 MX$22.16

-20.47%

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

$34.5K TTD 234.0K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

11.58%

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

$36.3K TTD 246.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

55.59%

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

$81.1 TTD 551

$82.0 MX$1,427

-1.09%

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

$47.59 TTD 323

$22.45 MX$391

111.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 TTD 423

$29.66 MX$516

109.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.71 TTD 304

$51.9 MX$903

-13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 TTD 50.6

$18.67 MX$325

-60.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 TTD 66.6

$4.97 MX$86.5

97.38%

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

$176 TTD 1,194

$198 MX$3,442

-11.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,322 TTD 49.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

38.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 TTD 406

$36.34 MX$632

64.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 TTD 264

$40.05 MX$697

-2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 TTD 503

$79.9 MX$1,390

-7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 856

$88.9 MX$1,547

41.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 TTD 1,840

$963 MX$16.8K

-71.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 TTD 1,216

$465 MX$8,086

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 TTD 4,012

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-62.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 TTD 3,068

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-62.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 TTD 4,034

$720 MX$12.5K

-17.52%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $271 in Sangre Grande versus $963 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 21% 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 $41.00 in Sangre Grande versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $285 in Sangre Grande vs $251 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 11%, 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 $1,737 per month in Sangre Grande and $1,930 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 $1,158 in Sangre Grande and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 370% 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 $1,158, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.