Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarande and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Sarande vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Sarande vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,067 per month in Sarande vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sarande costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sarande and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 ALL 973

$11.99 MX$210

-0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 ALL 4,762

$41.78 MX$733

39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 ALL 766

$10.75 MX$189

-12.65%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ALL 160

$3.50 MX$61.3

-43.71%

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

$1.83 ALL 149

$1.45 MX$25.41

26.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ALL 75.5

$0.88 MX$15.52

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ALL 238

$2.95 MX$51.7

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ALL 279

$4.51 MX$79.1

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 170

$1.43 MX$25.12

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 92.8

$1.84 MX$32.23

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ALL 180

$1.57 MX$27.51

40.76%

Eggs

$3.83 ALL 312

$2.51 MX$44.06

52.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ALL 1,072

$8.28 MX$145

58.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 ALL 624

$8.43 MX$148

-9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ALL 1,275

$10.68 MX$187

46.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 138

$2.61 MX$45.76

-35.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 ALL 227

$1.44 MX$25.22

93.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.96 MX$34.41

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 161

$2.09 MX$36.74

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ALL 112

$1.85 MX$32.47

-25.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 103

$2.17 MX$38.02

-41.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 ALL 117

$1.03 MX$18.09

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.7

$1.07 MX$18.84

-31.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ALL 344

$4.10 MX$72.0

2.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 ALL 528

$10.17 MX$178

-36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ALL 134

$1.68 MX$29.38

-2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ALL 175

$2.53 MX$44.31

-15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 ALL 94.6

$0.51 MX$8.93

127.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.72 ALL 1,853

$26.04 MX$457

-12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 ALL 293

$3.23 MX$56.7

11.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 ALL 252

$2.41 MX$42.19

28.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.88 ALL 1,458

$3.23 MX$56.6

453.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.32 MX$23.17

55.30%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.33%

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

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

23.33%

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

$101 ALL 8,220

$82.0 MX$1,439

22.91%

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

$18.07 ALL 1,473

$22.95 MX$403

-21.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.78 ALL 1,532

$30.11 MX$528

-37.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.2 ALL 7,274

$52.0 MX$912

71.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.83 ALL 3,411

$18.53 MX$325

125.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.65 ALL 787

$4.98 MX$87.3

93.78%

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

$287 ALL 23.4K

$197 MX$3,463

45.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,616 ALL 458.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

5.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,519

$35.60 MX$624

90.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.81 ALL 4,062

$40.33 MX$707

23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,818

$78.8 MX$1,381

37.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ALL 10.4K

$88.9 MX$1,560

43.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 ALL 71.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 ALL 31.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 ALL 92.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$948 ALL 77.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-21.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,652 ALL 379.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

14.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,937 ALL 239.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-54.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 ALL 63.3K

$654 MX$11.5K

18.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

11.42

-51.66%

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

Last update for Sarande: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Sarande 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 19% higher in Sarande, 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 $58.0 in Sarande versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $270 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Sarande is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Sarande 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,287 in Sarande 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 15% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Sarande at $1,287. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.