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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Side vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,658 per month in Side vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Side vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Side is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Side and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Side 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 ₺361

$11.87 MX$207

-34.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 ₺1,073

$42.90 MX$749

-45.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 ₺284

$10.65 MX$186

-42.07%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ₺127

$3.45 MX$60.2

-20.29%

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

$1.76 ₺80.9

$1.50 MX$26.24

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₺21.65

$0.95 MX$16.56

-50.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 ₺142

$3.03 MX$52.8

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 ₺189

$4.61 MX$80.4

-10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 ₺41.21

$1.38 MX$24.01

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ₺42.68

$1.85 MX$32.24

-49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ₺42.84

$1.61 MX$28.11

-42.24%

Eggs

$1.77 ₺81.4

$2.59 MX$45.26

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 ₺372

$8.26 MX$144

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ₺246

$8.37 MX$146

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.56 ₺763

$10.66 MX$186

55.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₺46.16

$2.63 MX$45.89

-61.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ₺95.3

$1.49 MX$25.96

38.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ₺33.70

$1.92 MX$33.50

-61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₺53.5

$2.09 MX$36.41

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₺25.51

$1.86 MX$32.42

-70.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₺19.44

$2.26 MX$39.47

-81.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₺58.3

$1.06 MX$18.54

18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₺15.88

$1.09 MX$18.98

-68.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₺99.1

$4.15 MX$72.4

-48.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 ₺606

$10.39 MX$181

26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₺79.0

$1.72 MX$30.09

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₺94.8

$2.61 MX$45.60

-21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ₺28.76

$0.54 MX$9.46

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.78 ₺1,419

$26.94 MX$470

14.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₺48.39

$3.13 MX$54.6

-66.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₺30.33

$2.51 MX$43.82

-73.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 ₺359

$3.15 MX$55.0

147.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₺54.1

$1.27 MX$22.25

-7.87%

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

$40.9K ₺1.9M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

34.66%

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

$41.4K ₺1.9M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

75.88%

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

$48.53 ₺2,237

$83.0 MX$1,449

-41.53%

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

$7.95 ₺366

$22.71 MX$396

-64.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.34 ₺292

$29.46 MX$514

-78.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 ₺1,997

$51.0 MX$890

-15.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 ₺297

$4.93 MX$86.0

30.63%

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

$607 ₺28.0K

$197 MX$3,444

207.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,932 ₺411.8K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

69.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 ₺3,509

$36.90 MX$644

106.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.64 ₺2,058

$39.89 MX$696

11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 ₺7,291

$80.0 MX$1,396

97.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₺5,189

$89.5 MX$1,561

25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 ₺24.0K

$956 MX$16.7K

-45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ₺18.5K

$477 MX$8,327

-16.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ₺40.3K

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-46.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₺32.1K

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-43.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,388 ₺64.0K

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₺47.9K

$6,459 MX$112.7K

-83.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

75.13%

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

Last update for Side: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Side 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 $23.00 in Side versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $250 – making Side 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,611 per month in Side 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 Side, 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 $1,074 in Side and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Side. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,074, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Side – 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 Side. 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.