Cost of Living Comparison Between Sun City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sun City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Sun City vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Sun City vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Sun City vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sun City is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 R 183

$11.87 MX$204

-4.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.35 R 733

$42.90 MX$736

5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 79.2

$10.65 MX$183

-53.99%

Cappuccino

$2.25 R 36.42

$3.45 MX$59.2

-34.78%

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

$0.99 R 16.00

$1.50 MX$25.81

-34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.15

$0.95 MX$16.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 R 43.54

$3.03 MX$51.9

-11.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 41.69

$4.61 MX$79.1

-44.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R 17.57

$1.38 MX$23.61

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 R 12.09

$1.85 MX$31.70

-59.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.89

$1.61 MX$27.65

3.11%

Eggs

$2.53 R 40.91

$2.59 MX$44.51

-2.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 R 134

$8.26 MX$142

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 R 78.2

$8.37 MX$144

-42.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 R 110

$10.66 MX$183

-36.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.09

$2.63 MX$45.12

-38.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 23.99

$1.49 MX$25.53

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.76

$1.92 MX$32.94

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.67

$2.09 MX$35.81

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 R 23.97

$1.86 MX$31.88

-20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.15

$2.26 MX$38.81

-36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.99

$1.06 MX$18.23

-0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.53

$1.09 MX$18.67

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 48.92

$4.15 MX$71.2

-26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 99.9

$10.39 MX$178

-40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R 20.88

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 R 25.61

$2.61 MX$44.85

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 R 26.88

$0.54 MX$9.30

207.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.60

$3.13 MX$53.7

-65.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.23

$2.51 MX$43.09

-62.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 R 66.6

$3.15 MX$54.1

30.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.93

$1.27 MX$21.88

-3.15%

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

$22.6K R 365.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-25.64%

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

$23.7K R 382.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

0.37%

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

$96.7 R 1,563

$83.0 MX$1,425

16.49%

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

$39.97 R 646

$22.71 MX$390

76.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.58 R 705

$29.46 MX$506

47.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 R 509

$51.0 MX$875

-38.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 R 50.2

$4.93 MX$84.5

-36.92%

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

$209 R 3,386

$197 MX$3,386

6.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,822 R 78.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-8.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 R 815

$36.90 MX$633

36.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 R 532

$39.89 MX$685

-17.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R 1,096

$80.0 MX$1,373

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 R 1,266

$89.5 MX$1,536

-12.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 R 5,832

$956 MX$16.4K

-62.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 R 5,491

$477 MX$8,189

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 R 11.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-57.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 R 11.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-44.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 R 15.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-75.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 R 11.3K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-89.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.42

0.79%

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

Last update for Sun City: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Sun City versus $956 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 $45.00 in Sun City versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Sun City vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Sun City 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,478 per month in Sun City and $1,906 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 Sun City, 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 $986 in Sun City and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Sun City 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sun City – 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 Sun City. 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.