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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Sur vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,655 per month in Sur vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Sur vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sur is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sur and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sur 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 OMR 1.47

$11.96 MX$202

-68.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.90 OMR 9.97

$47.38 MX$800

-45.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 OMR 3.01

$11.75 MX$198

-33.36%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$4.12 MX$69.6

20.63%

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

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$1.40 MX$23.63

-46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.91 MX$15.40

-70.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.88 OMR 4.96

$3.21 MX$54.1

301.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.09 OMR 5.04

$7.07 MX$119

85.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$1.68 MX$28.31

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$2.15 MX$36.31

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.77 MX$29.96

-3.95%

Eggs

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$2.82 MX$47.54

-29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 OMR 2.96

$9.20 MX$155

-16.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$9.23 MX$156

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 OMR 3.54

$12.64 MX$213

-27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$2.95 MX$49.83

-21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.58 MX$26.66

-19.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.22 MX$37.53

-52.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 OMR 0.29

$2.36 MX$39.90

-68.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.99 MX$33.65

-59.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 OMR 0.19

$1.98 MX$33.42

-74.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$1.24 MX$20.94

22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.21 MX$20.46

-58.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.30 OMR 2.43

$4.60 MX$77.7

36.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.06

$10.52 MX$178

49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 OMR 2.18

$1.69 MX$28.56

234.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 OMR 3.36

$2.77 MX$46.84

215.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$5.24 MX$88.4

-39.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$3.65 MX$61.6

-27.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$5.78 MX$97.7

38.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$1.54 MX$25.97

-62.34%

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

$25.3K OMR 9,753

$22.8K MX$385.0K

11.10%

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

$22.6K OMR 8,693

$25.8K MX$435.8K

-12.53%

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

$78.9 OMR 30.39

$90.7 MX$1,531

-12.94%

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

$23.85 OMR 9.18

$25.19 MX$425

-5.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 OMR 27.06

$31.75 MX$536

121.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 OMR 33.30

$68.8 MX$1,162

25.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$4.86 MX$82.1

110.91%

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

$292 OMR 112

$226 MX$3,811

29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 OMR 2,503

$4,194 MX$70.8K

55.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 OMR 21.38

$47.38 MX$800

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.74 OMR 16.46

$43.45 MX$734

-1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 OMR 35.05

$80.2 MX$1,355

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 OMR 36.54

$91.4 MX$1,543

3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 OMR 101

$1,086 MX$18.3K

-75.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 OMR 103

$409 MX$6,900

-34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 OMR 183

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 OMR 149

$1,281 MX$21.6K

-69.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$568 OMR 219

$4,046 MX$68.3K

-85.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 OMR 200

$6,704 MX$113.2K

-92.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,671 OMR 1,028

$773 MX$13.1K

245.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.45

-54.15%

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

Last update for Sur: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Sur 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.

Salaries run about 245% higher in Sur, 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 $26.00 in Sur versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $278 – making Sur 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,713 per month in Sur 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 Sur, 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 $1,142 in Sur and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $292 per month in Sur and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sur – 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 Sur. 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.