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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,958 per month in Soustons vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,057 per month in Soustons vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,156 per month in Soustons vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Soustons costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Soustons sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.31 €14.92

$11.96 MX$203

44.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 €69.7

$47.38 MX$804

70.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.71 €11.82

$11.75 MX$199

16.68%

Cappuccino

$4.53 €3.90

$4.12 MX$70.0

9.95%

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

$4.22 €3.64

$1.40 MX$23.74

201.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$0.91 MX$15.48

256.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 €6.72

$3.21 MX$54.4

142.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 €6.12

$7.07 MX$120

0.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.68 MX$28.44

-23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 €0.51

$2.15 MX$36.48

-72.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.77 MX$30.10

46.33%

Eggs

$3.07 €2.65

$2.82 MX$47.76

8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.64 €21.24

$9.20 MX$156

167.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.75 €12.71

$9.23 MX$157

59.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.83 €17.96

$12.64 MX$214

64.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 €2.86

$2.95 MX$50.1

12.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 €2.22

$1.58 MX$26.79

62.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$2.22 MX$37.70

59.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 €3.07

$2.36 MX$40.09

51.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.99 MX$33.81

17.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$1.98 MX$33.58

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.24 MX$21.04

14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.21 MX$20.55

-41.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 €12.66

$4.60 MX$78.1

219.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 €5.96

$10.52 MX$178

-34.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.16

$1.69 MX$28.70

116.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.04

$2.77 MX$47.06

27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.60 MX$10.22

235.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 €43.28

$29.70 MX$504

69.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 €7.27

$5.24 MX$88.8

61.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.39 €2.06

$3.65 MX$61.9

-34.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.78 €33.43

$5.78 MX$98.1

570.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.54 MX$26.09

43.51%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

59.08%

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

$34.3K €29.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

32.81%

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

$225 €194

$90.7 MX$1,538

147.83%

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

$15.01 €12.94

$25.19 MX$427

-40.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 €29.35

$31.75 MX$539

7.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 €31.70

$68.8 MX$1,167

-46.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.90 €11.98

$4.86 MX$82.5

186.01%

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

$1,100 €949

$226 MX$3,828

387.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K €9,045

$4,194 MX$71.1K

150.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 €106

$47.38 MX$804

160.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 €47.85

$43.45 MX$737

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €105

$80.2 MX$1,361

51.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 €148

$91.4 MX$1,550

87.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 €673

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 €548

$409 MX$6,933

55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 €1,285

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-24.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 €1,005

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-9.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,114 €3,546

$4,046 MX$68.6K

1.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 €2,712

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-53.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

11.45

-66.90%

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

Last update for Soustons: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Soustons versus $1,086 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 $81.0 in Soustons versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 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

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

Yes – Soustons is pricier by about 50%, 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 $2,938 per month in Soustons and $1,958 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 $1,958 in Soustons and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $1,305, than in Soustons at $1,958. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Soustons 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, Soustons makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.