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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Soroca vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Soroca vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,457 per month in Soroca vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Soroca is about 46% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Soroca and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Soroca 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 MDL 151

$11.99 MX$210

-27.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 MDL 632

$41.78 MX$733

-13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 MDL 131

$10.75 MX$189

-30.05%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MDL 32.88

$3.50 MX$61.3

-46.00%

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

$0.92 MDL 16.03

$1.45 MX$25.41

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 MDL 11.32

$0.88 MX$15.52

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 MDL 29.80

$2.95 MX$51.7

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 MDL 39.56

$4.51 MX$79.1

-49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.51

$1.43 MX$25.12

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.66

$1.84 MX$32.23

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.09

$1.57 MX$27.51

-4.46%

Eggs

$2.63 MDL 45.82

$2.51 MX$44.06

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MDL 178

$8.28 MX$145

23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 MDL 92.7

$8.43 MX$148

-36.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.07 MDL 158

$10.68 MX$187

-15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 MDL 14.95

$2.61 MX$45.76

-67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MDL 32.06

$1.44 MX$25.22

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 MDL 29.50

$1.96 MX$34.41

-13.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MDL 36.03

$2.09 MX$36.74

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 13.29

$1.85 MX$32.47

-58.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.36

$2.17 MX$38.02

-72.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.61

$1.03 MX$18.09

32.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MDL 15.61

$1.07 MX$18.84

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 MDL 57.5

$4.10 MX$72.0

-19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 21.10

$1.68 MX$29.38

-27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MDL 34.64

$2.53 MX$44.31

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MDL 4.82

$0.51 MX$8.93

-45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MDL 36.33

$3.23 MX$56.7

-35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.75

$2.41 MX$42.19

-88.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.16 MDL 89.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

59.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MDL 24.99

$1.32 MX$23.17

9.09%

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

$31.9K MDL 555.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

7.36%

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

$31.6K MDL 550.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

33.67%

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

$169 MDL 2,951

$82.0 MX$1,439

106.65%

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

$7.66 MDL 133

$22.95 MX$403

-66.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.94 MDL 191

$30.11 MX$528

-63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 MDL 133

$4.98 MX$87.3

53.01%

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

$388 MDL 6,757

$197 MX$3,463

96.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,634 MDL 132.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

43.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MDL 1,149

$35.60 MX$624

85.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 MDL 929

$40.33 MX$707

32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,958

$78.8 MX$1,381

42.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MDL 2,168

$88.9 MX$1,560

40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

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)

$507 MDL 8,819

$654 MX$11.5K

-22.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.42

-19.09%

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

Last update for Soroca: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 29% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $36.00 in Soroca versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $249 – making Soroca 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,019 per month in Soroca and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $680 in Soroca 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 $388 per month in Soroca 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Soroca, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Soroca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soroca – 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 Soroca. 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.