🙂A single person spends $938 per month in Si Racha vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,738 per month in Si Racha vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,539 per month in Si Racha vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂Si Racha is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Si Racha and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Si Racha30% lower, Playa del Carmen3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.01฿98.5
$11.73MX$203
-74.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.37฿1,025
$41.62MX$721
-24.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.08฿199
$10.64MX$184
-42.86%
Cappuccino
$2.45฿80.0
$3.52MX$61.0
-30.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.54
$1.51MX$26.17
-54.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.21
$0.97MX$16.87
-61.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.40฿78.3
$2.95MX$51.1
-18.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88฿94.3
$4.45MX$77.2
-35.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.77฿57.9
$1.38MX$23.97
28.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.04
$1.89MX$32.78
-25.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32฿43.11
$1.64MX$28.37
-19.51%
Eggs
$2.27฿74.1
$2.51MX$43.42
-9.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.69฿513
$8.34MX$145
88.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.06฿100.0
$8.34MX$145
-63.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.57฿313
$10.73MX$186
-10.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.37฿110
$2.60MX$45.12
29.62%
Banana(1kg)
$1.33฿43.40
$1.46MX$25.25
-8.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.95฿63.9
$1.90MX$32.94
2.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.13
$2.08MX$35.98
-29.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49฿48.60
$1.78MX$30.77
-16.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.22฿39.81
$2.19MX$37.87
-44.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.22
$1.04MX$18.02
-1.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.35
$1.08MX$18.66
-50.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.47฿146
$4.08MX$70.7
9.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.03฿491
$10.32MX$179
45.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74฿56.9
$1.71MX$29.67
1.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35฿76.9
$2.58MX$44.63
-8.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60฿19.70
$0.51MX$8.83
17.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.71฿1,200
$26.46MX$459
38.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.05฿34.40
$3.26MX$56.5
-67.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20฿39.17
$2.49MX$43.17
-51.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.32฿109
$3.25MX$56.3
2.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.20฿39.39
$1.31MX$22.65
-8.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.7K฿841.8K
$30.3KMX$524.7K
-14.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K฿842.2K
$23.4KMX$406.0K
9.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$88.9฿2,905
$82.9MX$1,436
7.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.51฿409
$22.22MX$385
-43.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.40฿601
$29.34MX$508
-37.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.5฿1,683
$51.6MX$895
-0.31%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.79฿255
$18.32MX$317
-57.48%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57฿248
$5.07MX$87.8
49.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$295฿9,638
$201MX$3,480
46.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,166฿299.6K
$5,212MX$90.3K
75.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.35฿992
$36.92MX$640
-17.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.44฿636
$39.79MX$689
-51.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101฿3,304
$78.5MX$1,360
28.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.07฿1,539
$87.1MX$1,509
-45.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$419฿13.7K
$973MX$16.9K
-56.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$282฿9,206
$468MX$8,105
-39.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,558฿50.9K
$1,641MX$28.4K
-5.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,077฿35.2K
$1,221MX$21.2K
-11.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,002฿65.4K
$3,946MX$68.4K
-49.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,497฿48.9K
$6,498MX$112.6K
-76.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Si Racha
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,074฿35.1K
$664MX$11.5K
61.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
11.42
-52.28%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Si Racha: May 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Si Racha versus $973 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 62% higher in Si Racha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Si Racha versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $249 – making Si Racha 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
Si Racha vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Si Racha?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,407 per month in Si Racha and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Si Racha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Si Racha vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Si Racha and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 39% less in Si Racha. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Si Racha or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Si Racha, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Si Racha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Si Racha or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Si Racha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Si Racha or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Si Racha. 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.