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 $1,019 per month in Sidon vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,708 per month in Sidon vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,396 per month in Sidon vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sidon is about 19% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sidon and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sidon 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 LBP 978.9K

$11.99 MX$210

-8.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

$41.78 MX$733

45.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 LBP 708.3K

$10.75 MX$189

-26.42%

Cappuccino

$3.41 LBP 305.5K

$3.50 MX$61.3

-2.57%

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

$1.60 LBP 142.9K

$1.45 MX$25.41

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.5K

$0.88 MX$15.52

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 LBP 319.1K

$2.95 MX$51.7

21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 LBP 453.8K

$4.51 MX$79.1

12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

$1.43 MX$25.12

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LBP 71.9K

$1.84 MX$32.23

-56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.8K

$1.57 MX$27.51

15.92%

Eggs

$3.16 LBP 283.0K

$2.51 MX$44.06

25.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 991.3K

$8.28 MX$145

33.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 LBP 837.2K

$8.43 MX$148

10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 LBP 1.0M

$10.68 MX$187

9.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.6K

$2.61 MX$45.76

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 LBP 134.6K

$1.44 MX$25.22

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.4K

$1.96 MX$34.41

-42.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LBP 94.8K

$2.09 MX$36.74

-49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.5K

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 LBP 92.3K

$2.17 MX$38.02

-52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

$1.03 MX$18.09

-20.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

$1.07 MX$18.84

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 LBP 224.7K

$4.10 MX$72.0

-38.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 LBP 878.4K

$10.17 MX$178

-3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 LBP 115.4K

$1.68 MX$29.38

-23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.4K

$2.53 MX$44.31

-15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 LBP 180.8K

$0.51 MX$8.93

296.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 LBP 444.5K

$3.23 MX$56.7

53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

$2.41 MX$42.19

-46.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.17 LBP 1.8M

$3.23 MX$56.6

524.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 LBP 85.0K

$1.32 MX$23.17

-28.03%

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

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

$29.7K MX$520.9K

19.95%

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

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

$23.7K MX$415.0K

19.32%

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

$214 LBP 19.2M

$82.0 MX$1,439

161.16%

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

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

$22.95 MX$403

65.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.53 LBP 3.4M

$30.11 MX$528

24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 LBP 3.0M

$52.0 MX$912

-35.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 LBP 892.6K

$18.53 MX$325

-46.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 LBP 552.8K

$4.98 MX$87.3

24.10%

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

$306 LBP 27.4M

$197 MX$3,463

55.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,454 LBP 398.6M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-16.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$35.60 MX$624

99.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 LBP 4.0M

$40.33 MX$707

11.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$78.8 MX$1,381

54.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 LBP 8.6M

$88.9 MX$1,560

8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 LBP 22.6M

$947 MX$16.6K

-73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 LBP 9.1M

$474 MX$8,314

-78.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 LBP 53.4M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-63.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 LBP 35.2M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-67.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

11.42

-2.28%

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

Last update for Sidon: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Sidon versus $947 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 $61.0 in Sidon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Sidon vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Sidon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,529 per month in Sidon and $1,884 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 Sidon, 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 $1,019 in Sidon and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Sidon and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidon, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Sidon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.