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 $1,008 per month in Sun City vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,591 per month in Sun City vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,174 per month in Sun City vs $3,082 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 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.99 R 182

$11.94 MX$208

-7.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.62 R 755

$42.75 MX$744

6.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 R 82.0

$10.59 MX$184

-53.16%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 36.79

$3.62 MX$63.0

-38.67%

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

$1.02 R 16.95

$1.47 MX$25.54

-30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R 12.59

$0.94 MX$16.41

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 R 45.29

$3.09 MX$53.8

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 41.19

$4.46 MX$77.6

-44.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R 18.03

$1.43 MX$24.80

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 R 12.37

$1.88 MX$32.79

-60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.44

$1.63 MX$28.34

1.84%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.62

$2.64 MX$45.99

-7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R 133

$8.21 MX$143

-1.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 R 79.9

$8.29 MX$144

-41.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 R 112

$11.10 MX$193

-38.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.64

$2.65 MX$46.14

-36.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.12

$1.50 MX$26.11

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.16

$1.99 MX$34.59

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.37

$2.08 MX$36.13

-23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.66

$1.79 MX$31.11

-16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 R 24.06

$2.18 MX$37.87

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.53

$1.08 MX$18.73

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.85

$1.04 MX$18.04

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 R 50.5

$3.97 MX$69.1

-23.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 R 98.4

$10.20 MX$178

-41.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.37

$1.73 MX$30.04

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.28

$2.50 MX$43.46

-34.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.57

$0.52 MX$9.02

209.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.10

$3.14 MX$54.7

-65.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 15.02

$2.40 MX$41.80

-62.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 66.0

$3.09 MX$53.7

29.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.30

$1.27 MX$22.16

1.57%

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

$22.3K R 368.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-27.83%

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

$24.0K R 396.7K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

2.82%

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

$96.7 R 1,601

$82.0 MX$1,427

17.95%

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

$40.11 R 664

$22.45 MX$391

78.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 717

$29.66 MX$516

46.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.75 R 509

$51.9 MX$903

-40.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 R 50.4

$4.97 MX$86.5

-38.83%

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

$210 R 3,476

$198 MX$3,442

6.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,957 R 82.0K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-6.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 R 833

$36.34 MX$632

38.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.58 R 556

$40.05 MX$697

-16.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 R 1,113

$79.9 MX$1,390

-15.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 R 1,277

$88.9 MX$1,547

-13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,019

$963 MX$16.8K

-62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 R 5,583

$465 MX$8,086

-27.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 R 11.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-56.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 R 11.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-43.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$701 R 11.6K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-82.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$714 R 11.8K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-88.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,512 R 25.0K

$720 MX$12.5K

109.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Sun City versus $963 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 110% higher in Sun City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Sun City versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Sun City vs $251 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 28%, 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 $1,511 per month in Sun City and $1,930 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 $1,008 in Sun City and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Sun City and $198 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 $1,008, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.