Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Si Sa Ket and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Si Sa Ket: $908 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Si Sa Ket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$908
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Si Sa Ket and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Si Sa Ket and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $908 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Si Sa Ket $908
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,422 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Si Sa Ket $1,422
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,935 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Si Sa Ket $1,935
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Si Sa Ket is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Si Sa Ket and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Si Sa Ket 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.83 ฿94.5
$10.86 MX$201
-73.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.87 ฿865
$44.21 MX$817
-41.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.22 ฿241
$11.76 MX$217
-38.61%
Cappuccino
$1.91 ฿63.7
$3.68 MX$68.0
-48.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.49
$1.34 MX$24.79
-52.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.11
$0.82 MX$15.24
-63.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.80 ฿60.0
$3.06 MX$56.6
-41.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 ฿91.1
$4.94 MX$91.2
-44.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 ฿54.1
$1.47 MX$27.17
10.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.67
$2.22 MX$40.95
-35.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.37
$1.48 MX$27.32
-10.14%
Eggs
$1.99 ฿66.5
$2.49 MX$45.99
-20.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.58 ฿554
$7.52 MX$139
120.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.82 ฿94.3
$7.96 MX$147
-64.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.12 ฿338
$12.57 MX$232
-19.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 ฿98.8
$2.78 MX$51.3
6.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 ฿35.45
$1.43 MX$26.37
-25.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 ฿73.6
$2.62 MX$48.37
-16.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 ฿63.4
$2.14 MX$39.49
-11.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$2.02 MX$37.38
-24.75%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 ฿31.02
$1.99 MX$36.74
-53.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 ฿32.29
$1.14 MX$21.01
-14.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 ฿19.40
$1.20 MX$22.18
-51.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.86 ฿129
$4.26 MX$78.7
-9.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.84 ฿629
$10.02 MX$185
88.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 ฿54.8
$1.54 MX$28.41
6.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 ฿95.5
$2.66 MX$49.17
7.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.97 ฿32.33
$0.53 MX$9.73
83.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.51 MX$508
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.24 ฿41.50
$4.90 MX$90.6
-74.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 ฿37.72
$3.43 MX$63.5
-67.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 ฿198
$5.38 MX$99.4
10.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 ฿46.02
$1.45 MX$26.76
-4.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿926.0K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
30.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K ฿830.5K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
7.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.3 ฿2,417
$85.4 MX$1,577
-15.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.38 ฿414
$23.46 MX$434
-47.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.86 ฿664
$28.43 MX$525
-30.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.24 ฿1,445
$62.2 MX$1,149
-30.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.79 ฿461
$28.68 MX$530
-51.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 ฿192
$5.10 MX$94.3
12.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$527 ฿17.6K
$201 MX$3,715
162.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K ฿402.2K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
204.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.99 ฿1,470
$44.39 MX$820
-0.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.31 ฿846
$41.35 MX$764
-38.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.3 ฿2,349
$72.7 MX$1,344
-3.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3 ฿2,381
$89.6 MX$1,656
-20.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$456 ฿15.2K
$979 MX$18.1K
-53.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$311 ฿10.4K
$373 MX$6,887
-16.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,310 ฿43.8K
$1,681 MX$31.1K
-22.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$617 ฿20.6K
$1,095 MX$20.2K
-43.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,862 ฿62.2K
$3,949 MX$73.0K
-52.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,458 ฿48.7K
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-76.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Si Sa Ket
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$738 MX$13.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.45
-51.35%

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

Last update for Si Sa Ket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Si Sa Ket
$311
Playa del Carmen
$373 19.8% $62
Groceries & Markets
Si Sa Ket
$246
Playa del Carmen
$258 5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Si Sa Ket
$105
Playa del Carmen
$137 31.3% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Si Sa Ket
$95
Playa del Carmen
$112 17.7% $17
Eating Out
Si Sa Ket
$85
Playa del Carmen
$200 135% $115
Sport & Entertainment
Si Sa Ket
$55
Playa del Carmen
$72 32.3% $18
Getting Around
Si Sa Ket
$11 *
Playa del Carmen
$52 380% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Si Sa Ket versus $979 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 $26.00 in Si Sa Ket versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $258 – making Si Sa Ket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Si Sa Ket
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
21:21 9:21 PM
09:21 9:21 AM
12 h behind Si Sa Ket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,193
149,923
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Si Sa Ket Playa del Carmen 15,850 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Si Sa Ket
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sa Ket vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Si Sa Ket?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,362 per month in Si Sa Ket and $1,806 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 Sa Ket, 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 Sa Ket and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $908 in Si Sa Ket and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 33%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $527 per month in Si Sa Ket and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Si Sa Ket or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Si Sa Ket, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Si Sa Ket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Si Sa Ket or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Si Sa Ket – 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 Sa Ket 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 Sa Ket. 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.

Si Sa Ket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?