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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Sutomore vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,159 per month in Sutomore vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,891 per month in Sutomore vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sutomore costs about 13% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sutomore sits 7% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.67 €12.02

$11.95 MX$209

14.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.7 €49.88

$41.94 MX$734

35.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 €8.55

$10.42 MX$182

-6.62%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.56

$3.51 MX$61.5

-17.09%

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

$2.13 €1.88

$1.52 MX$26.53

40.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.23

$0.91 MX$15.93

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 €2.89

$3.04 MX$53.2

7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.14

$4.37 MX$76.5

-18.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 €1.27

$1.42 MX$24.86

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.83 MX$32.03

-40.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 €1.58

$1.63 MX$28.60

10.43%

Eggs

$3.24 €2.85

$2.54 MX$44.43

27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €8.08

$8.57 MX$150

7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 €6.46

$8.49 MX$149

-13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 €8.46

$10.80 MX$189

-10.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.75 MX$48.19

-52.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.54

$1.44 MX$25.13

21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 €1.45

$1.89 MX$33.00

-12.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.48

$2.17 MX$37.96

29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.92

$1.78 MX$31.13

-41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$2.22 MX$38.91

-49.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.07 MX$18.70

66.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.08 MX$18.89

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 €3.46

$4.15 MX$72.5

-5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.61 €4.05

$10.45 MX$183

-55.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.09

$1.74 MX$30.50

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.58

$2.58 MX$45.16

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 €1.29

$0.51 MX$8.98

188.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.22 €32.72

$25.94 MX$454

43.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €1.00

$3.21 MX$56.2

-64.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 €0.67

$2.50 MX$43.78

-69.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.37 €9.99

$3.19 MX$55.7

256.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.50

$1.26 MX$21.98

35.71%

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

$30.5K €26.8K

$29.7K MX$519.3K

2.71%

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

$26.7K €23.5K

$23.7K MX$414.3K

12.70%

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

$140 €123

$82.0 MX$1,435

70.83%

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

$18.12 €15.93

$22.73 MX$398

-20.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.33 €29.30

$29.42 MX$515

13.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.03 €39.58

$52.2 MX$913

-13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.22 €12.50

$18.45 MX$323

-22.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 €2.99

$4.93 MX$86.3

-31.03%

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

$412 €362

$202 MX$3,530

104.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K €8,844

$5,217 MX$91.3K

92.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.26 €20.45

$35.93 MX$629

-35.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.70 €34.02

$40.33 MX$706

-4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €98.8

$79.9 MX$1,397

40.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €110

$89.3 MX$1,562

40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 €335

$948 MX$16.6K

-59.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 €478

$465 MX$8,140

16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 €1,097

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 €816

$1,193 MX$20.9K

-22.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,202 €3,694

$3,933 MX$68.8K

6.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,724 €2,394

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-57.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 €612

$658 MX$11.5K

5.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Sutomore: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Sutomore versus $948 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 6% higher in Sutomore, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Sutomore versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Sutomore vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Sutomore 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

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

Yes – Sutomore is pricier by about 13%, 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 $2,141 per month in Sutomore and $1,888 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 $1,427 in Sutomore and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 43% 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 $1,259, than in Sutomore at $1,427. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sutomore 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, Sutomore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.