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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,600 per month in Sintra vs $1,265 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Sintra vs $2,314 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,181 per month in Sintra vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sintra costs about 26% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sintra sits 19% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.11 €11.52

$11.48 MX$204

14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €50.4

$46.90 MX$832

22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 €8.21

$11.90 MX$211

-21.51%

Cappuccino

$1.37 €1.20

$4.02 MX$71.4

-65.92%

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

$1.59 €1.40

$1.37 MX$24.27

16.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$0.82 MX$14.47

46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 €3.03

$3.30 MX$58.6

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 €2.59

$6.71 MX$119

-56.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.97

$1.64 MX$29.13

-32.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.15 MX$38.12

-40.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 €1.19

$1.77 MX$31.43

-23.73%

Eggs

$2.77 €2.44

$2.75 MX$48.81

0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 €8.05

$9.15 MX$162

0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 €6.17

$9.23 MX$164

-23.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 €9.95

$12.41 MX$220

-8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 €1.60

$2.90 MX$51.5

-37.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 €1.12

$1.50 MX$26.58

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.23

$2.16 MX$38.34

-35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 €1.98

$2.25 MX$39.83

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 €1.19

$2.02 MX$35.87

-33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 €1.60

$2.02 MX$35.85

-9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.46

$1.19 MX$21.19

39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.57

$1.13 MX$20.13

-42.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 €5.68

$4.43 MX$78.5

46.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.54 €3.11

$10.63 MX$189

-66.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.14

$1.68 MX$29.75

-22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.27

$2.90 MX$51.5

-50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €2.02

$0.60 MX$10.71

283.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.91 €36.82

$29.09 MX$516

44.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 €3.26

$5.32 MX$94.3

-30.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 €0.46

$3.57 MX$63.3

-85.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.89 €14.84

$5.88 MX$104

187.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.83

$1.51 MX$26.76

37.75%

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

$34.4K €30.2K

$22.3K MX$396.4K

53.93%

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

$39.7K €34.9K

$25.7K MX$455.1K

54.63%

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

$130 €115

$90.6 MX$1,606

44.03%

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

$22.65 €19.90

$25.44 MX$451

-10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.86 €41.17

$30.61 MX$543

53.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 €37.22

$66.9 MX$1,187

-36.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 €15.02

$29.47 MX$523

-41.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.80 €7.73

$4.91 MX$87.0

79.23%

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

$640 €562

$216 MX$3,825

196.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,336 €5,567

$4,125 MX$73.2K

53.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 €67.4

$46.02 MX$816

66.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.59 €40.93

$44.24 MX$785

5.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €96.2

$78.4 MX$1,390

39.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 €45.15

$92.0 MX$1,633

-44.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 €872

$1,061 MX$18.8K

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$778 €683

$394 MX$6,992

97.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 €1,390

$2,120 MX$37.6K

-25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 €1,050

$1,259 MX$22.3K

-5.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,174 €2,789

$4,072 MX$72.2K

-22.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,321 €2,039

$6,606 MX$117.2K

-64.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,411 €1,240

$752 MX$13.3K

87.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.54

11.45

-69.08%

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

Last update for Sintra: September 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Sintra versus $1,061 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 88% higher in Sintra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Sintra versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Sintra vs $274 in Playa del Carmen – so Sintra 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

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

Yes – Sintra is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,400 per month in Sintra and $1,898 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,600 in Sintra and $1,265 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Sintra at $1,600. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sintra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sintra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.