Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharm El Sheikh and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sharm El Sheikh and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $473 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $731 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $989 per month in Sharm El Sheikh vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sharm El Sheikh is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sharm El Sheikh and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sharm El Sheikh 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.90 E£1,226

$47.38 MX$804

-49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 E£258

$11.75 MX$199

-57.19%

Cappuccino

$2.30 E£118

$4.12 MX$70.0

-44.17%

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

$0.36 E£18.52

$1.40 MX$23.74

-74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 E£31.65

$0.91 MX$15.48

-31.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 E£206

$3.21 MX$54.4

25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 E£259

$7.07 MX$120

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 E£46.21

$1.68 MX$28.44

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 E£25.80

$1.77 MX$30.10

-71.75%

Eggs

$1.21 E£62.1

$2.82 MX$47.76

-57.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 E£199

$9.23 MX$157

-57.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 E£79.8

$2.95 MX$50.1

-47.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 E£25.94

$1.58 MX$26.79

-67.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 E£26.07

$2.22 MX$37.70

-77.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 E£15.44

$2.36 MX$40.09

-87.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 E£112

$4.60 MX$78.1

-52.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 E£81.1

$1.69 MX$28.70

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 E£5.02

$0.60 MX$10.22

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 E£22.93

$1.54 MX$26.09

-70.78%

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

$32.9K E£1.7M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

44.30%

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

$22.5K E£1.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-12.95%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$11.70 E£600

$25.19 MX$427

-53.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.27 E£1,502

$31.75 MX$539

-7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 E£18.9K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-66.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 E£15.8K

$409 MX$6,933

-24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 E£33.1K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-67.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 E£28.1K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-57.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,002 E£51.4K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-75.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 E£35.9K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-89.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$156 E£8,019

$773 MX$13.1K

-79.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.5

11.45

131.44%

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

Last update for Sharm El Sheikh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $368 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $1,086 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 395% 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 $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $58.0 vs $278 – making Sharm El Sheikh 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

Sharm El Sheikh vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 176%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $709 per month in Sharm El Sheikh and $1,958 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 Sharm El Sheikh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 383% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Sharm El Sheikh and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sharm El Sheikh, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sharm El Sheikh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sharm El Sheikh – 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 Sharm El Sheikh. 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.