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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Sidon vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,584 per month in Sidon vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Sidon vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sidon is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Sidon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sidon 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.11 LBP 1.1M
$11.96 MX$203
1.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.3 LBP 5.8M
$47.38 MX$804
35.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 LBP 891.8K
$11.75 MX$199
-15.23%
Cappuccino
$4.52 LBP 404.6K
$4.12 MX$70.0
9.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 LBP 206.4K
$1.40 MX$23.74
65.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 LBP 78.9K
$0.91 MX$15.48
-3.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 LBP 453.3K
$3.21 MX$54.4
57.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.90 LBP 438.1K
$7.07 MX$120
-30.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 LBP 172.3K
$1.68 MX$28.44
14.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.90 LBP 80.1K
$2.15 MX$36.48
-58.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 LBP 193.2K
$1.77 MX$30.10
22.03%
Eggs
$3.62 LBP 323.9K
$2.82 MX$47.76
28.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.64 LBP 1.2M
$9.20 MX$156
48.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 LBP 946.8K
$9.23 MX$157
14.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.44 LBP 1.3M
$12.64 MX$214
14.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 LBP 272.6K
$2.95 MX$50.1
3.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 LBP 152.3K
$1.58 MX$26.79
7.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 LBP 148.7K
$2.22 MX$37.70
-25.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.47 LBP 131.6K
$2.36 MX$40.09
-37.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 LBP 122.1K
$1.99 MX$33.81
-31.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 LBP 146.2K
$1.98 MX$33.58
-17.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 LBP 104.1K
$1.24 MX$21.04
-6.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 LBP 61.1K
$1.21 MX$20.55
-43.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.97 LBP 265.5K
$4.60 MX$78.1
-35.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.83 LBP 879.8K
$10.52 MX$178
-6.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 LBP 117.6K
$1.69 MX$28.70
-22.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 LBP 223.9K
$2.77 MX$47.06
-9.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.60 MX$10.22
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.70 MX$504
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.88 LBP 436.7K
$5.24 MX$88.8
-6.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.28 LBP 203.8K
$3.65 MX$61.9
-37.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.14 LBP 2.0M
$5.78 MX$98.1
283.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 LBP 93.9K
$1.54 MX$26.09
-31.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.0K LBP 4.8B
$22.8K MX$386.8K
136.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K LBP 2.9B
$25.8K MX$437.9K
24.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 LBP 20.5M
$90.7 MX$1,538
152.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.89 LBP 2.1M
$25.19 MX$427
-5.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.37 LBP 3.4M
$31.75 MX$539
20.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.8 MX$1,167
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37 MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.02 LBP 896.8K
$4.86 MX$82.5
106.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 LBP 61.6M
$226 MX$3,828
204.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K LBP 945.4M
$4,194 MX$71.1K
151.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.9 LBP 6.0M
$47.38 MX$804
41.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.65 LBP 4.4M
$43.45 MX$737
11.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$140 LBP 12.5M
$80.2 MX$1,361
74.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 LBP 10.8M
$91.4 MX$1,550
32.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,086 MX$18.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$409 MX$6,933
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,281 MX$21.7K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sidon
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$773 MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
11.45
-3.93%

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

Last update for Sidon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Sidon versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Sidon vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Sidon?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,500 per month in Sidon and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Sidon and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,000 in Sidon and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Sidon and $226 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 Sidon or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidon, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sidon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sidon or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sidon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sidon. 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.

Sidon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities