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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Sayulita vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Sayulita vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Sayulita vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sayulita is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sayulita and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sayulita 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 MX$183

$11.87 MX$204

-10.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.26 MX$657

$42.90 MX$736

-10.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 MX$137

$10.65 MX$183

-25.26%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.0

$3.45 MX$59.2

-2.03%

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

$1.22 MX$20.98

$1.50 MX$25.81

-18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$16.93

$0.95 MX$16.28

4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MX$38.22

$3.03 MX$51.9

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MX$65.2

$4.61 MX$79.1

-17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.73

$1.38 MX$23.61

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 MX$43.14

$1.85 MX$31.70

35.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.11

$1.61 MX$27.65

1.86%

Eggs

$2.38 MX$40.90

$2.59 MX$44.51

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 MX$135

$8.26 MX$142

-5.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 MX$132

$8.37 MX$144

-7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 MX$185

$10.66 MX$183

1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.44

$2.63 MX$45.12

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.00

$1.49 MX$25.53

-2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.36

$1.92 MX$32.94

-10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.38

$2.09 MX$35.81

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.90

$1.86 MX$31.88

3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.73

$2.26 MX$38.81

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MX$21.73

$1.06 MX$18.23

19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.56

$1.09 MX$18.67

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$69.7

$4.15 MX$71.2

-2.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 MX$186

$10.39 MX$178

4.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$26.68

$1.72 MX$29.59

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 MX$48.66

$2.61 MX$44.85

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.01

$0.54 MX$9.30

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 MX$43.89

$3.13 MX$53.7

-18.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$27.61

$2.51 MX$43.09

-35.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 MX$145

$3.15 MX$54.1

167.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.71

$1.27 MX$21.88

3.94%

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

$20.8K MX$357.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-31.53%

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

$22.8K MX$391.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-3.27%

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

$56.0 MX$961

$83.0 MX$1,425

-32.51%

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

$22.14 MX$380

$22.71 MX$390

-2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.85 MX$478

$29.46 MX$506

-5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 MX$616

$51.0 MX$875

-29.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.55 MX$267

$18.33 MX$315

-15.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$80.7

$4.93 MX$84.5

-4.67%

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

$209 MX$3,584

$197 MX$3,386

5.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,577 MX$61.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-32.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MX$901

$36.90 MX$633

42.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 MX$685

$39.89 MX$685

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 MX$1,543

$80.0 MX$1,373

12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 MX$1,353

$89.5 MX$1,536

-11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 MX$8,881

$956 MX$16.4K

-45.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,715

$477 MX$8,189

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 MX$16.1K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 MX$13.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-37.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,719 MX$29.5K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-56.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,164 MX$20.0K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-81.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.42

0.53%

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

Last update for Sayulita: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $517 in Sayulita 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Sayulita versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $250 – making Sayulita 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,629 per month in Sayulita 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 Sayulita, 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 $1,086 in Sayulita and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Sayulita and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sayulita, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sayulita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sayulita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sayulita. 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.