😐A single person spends $1,688 per month in Alcochete vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,430 per month in Alcochete vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,172 per month in Alcochete vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Alcochete costs about 29% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Alcochete sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.41€9.84
$11.96MX$203
-4.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.87€40.40
$47.38MX$804
-1.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.64€8.31
$11.75MX$199
-17.96%
Cappuccino
$2.84€2.45
$4.12MX$70.0
-31.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02€1.74
$1.40MX$23.74
44.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41€1.22
$0.91MX$15.48
54.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.52€3.03
$3.21MX$54.4
9.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90€5.08
$7.07MX$120
-16.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.11€0.96
$1.68MX$28.44
-33.93%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54€1.33
$2.15MX$36.48
-28.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.65€1.43
$1.77MX$30.10
-6.78%
Eggs
$3.49€3.01
$2.82MX$47.76
23.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.61€9.14
$9.20MX$156
15.33%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.23€6.23
$9.23MX$157
-21.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.97€13.77
$12.64MX$214
26.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.38€2.05
$2.95MX$50.1
-19.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56€1.34
$1.58MX$26.79
-1.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.63€2.26
$2.22MX$37.70
18.47%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.29€1.97
$2.36MX$40.09
-2.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.62€1.39
$1.99MX$33.81
-18.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.47€2.13
$1.98MX$33.58
24.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.75€1.51
$1.24MX$21.04
41.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47€0.41
$1.21MX$20.55
-61.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.05€5.22
$4.60MX$78.1
31.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.90€5.09
$10.52MX$178
-43.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28€1.10
$1.69MX$28.70
-24.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24€1.93
$2.77MX$47.06
-19.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.37€2.04
$0.60MX$10.22
295.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.74€36.85
$29.70MX$504
43.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.30€1.98
$5.24MX$88.8
-56.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.15€0.99
$3.65MX$61.9
-68.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.60€15.17
$5.78MX$98.1
204.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01€1.73
$1.54MX$26.09
30.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K€30.1K
$22.8KMX$386.8K
53.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.4K€34.0K
$25.8KMX$437.9K
52.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.5€44.39
$90.7MX$1,538
-43.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.85€22.28
$25.19MX$427
2.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.1€50.1
$31.75MX$539
83.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.55€36.68
$68.8MX$1,167
-38.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.65€6.59
$4.86MX$82.5
57.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$748€645
$226MX$3,828
231.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$19.2K€16.5K
$4,194MX$71.1K
357.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.2€69.1
$47.38MX$804
69.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.67€34.20
$43.45MX$737
-8.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$110€94.5
$80.2MX$1,361
36.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137€118
$91.4MX$1,550
50.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,008€869
$1,086MX$18.4K
-7.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$815€702
$409MX$6,933
99.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,588€1,369
$1,972MX$33.5K
-19.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,214€1,046
$1,281MX$21.7K
-5.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,238€2,791
$4,046MX$68.6K
-19.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,396€2,065
$6,704MX$113.7K
-64.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alcochete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$773MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.67
11.45
-67.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Alcochete: September 8, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Alcochete 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Alcochete versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $278 – making Alcochete 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
Alcochete vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Alcochete and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,688 in Alcochete, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 29% apart. Alcochete costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Alcochete compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,532 per month in Alcochete and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Alcochete and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Alcochete – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Alcochete and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Alcochete at $1,688. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alcochete it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Alcochete and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,688 in Alcochete. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Alcochete or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Alcochete and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alcochete makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.