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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $923 per month in Surin vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Surin vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,069 per month in Surin vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surin is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Surin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Surin 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 ฿101

$11.71 MX$198

-73.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.55 ฿774

$46.59 MX$786

-49.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ฿255

$11.65 MX$197

-33.39%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ฿69.8

$4.09 MX$69.1

-48.17%

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

$0.70 ฿22.87

$1.37 MX$23.20

-48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.64

$0.83 MX$14.07

-61.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 ฿68.9

$3.35 MX$56.6

-37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ฿99.0

$6.91 MX$117

-56.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ฿61.9

$1.73 MX$29.15

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.35

$2.26 MX$38.15

-36.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.32

$1.77 MX$29.86

-28.81%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿72.4

$2.73 MX$46.12

-19.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.38 ฿538

$9.18 MX$155

78.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿93.6

$8.92 MX$151

-68.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 ฿361

$12.60 MX$213

-12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 ฿106

$3.02 MX$51.0

6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ฿36.86

$1.57 MX$26.51

-28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿75.3

$2.13 MX$35.88

7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$2.26 MX$38.22

-25.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.20

$2.00 MX$33.82

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.65

$2.06 MX$34.85

-42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿36.39

$1.18 MX$19.91

-5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.65

$1.20 MX$20.32

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ฿145

$4.63 MX$78.2

-4.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 ฿509

$10.69 MX$180

44.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.62 MX$27.33

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿94.0

$2.88 MX$48.63

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.74

$0.57 MX$9.68

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ฿40.63

$5.45 MX$91.9

-77.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 ฿36.80

$3.70 MX$62.5

-69.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 ฿131

$5.98 MX$101

-33.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿47.60

$1.55 MX$26.22

-6.45%

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

$24.7K ฿811.5K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

10.58%

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

$27.4K ฿901.5K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

5.69%

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

$83.7 ฿2,750

$89.1 MX$1,504

-6.14%

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

$12.57 ฿413

$25.04 MX$423

-49.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.77 ฿650

$31.50 MX$532

-37.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.45 ฿1,560

$67.8 MX$1,144

-29.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.17 ฿466

$28.92 MX$488

-51.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 ฿223

$5.05 MX$85.2

34.46%

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

$561 ฿18.4K

$225 MX$3,797

149.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿370.9K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

167.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 ฿1,722

$47.44 MX$801

10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.52 ฿1,003

$44.98 MX$759

-32.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ฿2,526

$82.0 MX$1,384

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 ฿2,532

$92.1 MX$1,555

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 ฿15.3K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-56.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 ฿9,564

$405 MX$6,842

-28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 ฿41.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ฿23.1K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-46.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 ฿64.5K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-50.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,634 ฿53.7K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-75.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.45

-51.35%

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

Last update for Surin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Surin versus $1,069 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 $24.00 in Surin versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $277 – making Surin 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,384 per month in Surin and $1,940 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 Surin, 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 $923 in Surin and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Surin and $225 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 Surin, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Surin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surin – 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 Surin. 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.