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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,004 per month in Alexandra vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Alexandra vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Alexandra vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Alexandra is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Alexandra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Alexandra 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 R 145

$11.94 MX$209

-27.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.67 R 565

$42.75 MX$748

-21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 82.0

$10.59 MX$185

-53.82%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.64

$3.62 MX$63.4

-41.16%

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

$0.98 R 16.51

$1.47 MX$25.69

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.62

$0.94 MX$16.51

-13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R 36.98

$3.09 MX$54.1

-28.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 43.24

$4.46 MX$78.0

-42.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.40

$1.43 MX$24.94

-18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.89

$1.88 MX$32.97

-43.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.19

$1.63 MX$28.50

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.39 R 40.02

$2.64 MX$46.26

-9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R 133

$8.21 MX$144

-3.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 78.6

$8.29 MX$145

-43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 110

$11.10 MX$194

-40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.18

$2.65 MX$46.40

-38.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.83

$1.50 MX$26.26

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.74

$1.99 MX$34.79

-25.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 28.10

$2.08 MX$36.33

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.94

$1.79 MX$31.29

-26.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.75

$2.18 MX$38.09

-45.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.69

$1.08 MX$18.84

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.11

$1.04 MX$18.15

-13.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 48.30

$3.97 MX$69.5

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 R 87.4

$10.20 MX$179

-48.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 22.07

$1.73 MX$30.22

-23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.64

$2.50 MX$43.71

-34.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 28.04

$0.52 MX$9.07

221.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.15

$3.14 MX$55.0

-63.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 16.00

$2.40 MX$42.04

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 R 52.9

$3.09 MX$54.0

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.79

$1.27 MX$22.28

-2.36%

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

$19.3K R 324.0K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-37.44%

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

$23.6K R 395.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

1.15%

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

$117 R 1,966

$82.0 MX$1,435

42.93%

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

$37.94 R 636

$22.45 MX$393

69.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 R 636

$29.66 MX$519

27.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 R 519

$51.9 MX$908

-40.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 R 125

$4.97 MX$87.0

49.90%

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

$196 R 3,280

$198 MX$3,462

-1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 R 71.9K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-18.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 R 835

$36.34 MX$636

37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 R 548

$40.05 MX$701

-18.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 R 1,485

$79.9 MX$1,398

10.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 R 1,337

$88.9 MX$1,555

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R 6,069

$963 MX$16.9K

-62.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 R 5,612

$465 MX$8,133

-27.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R 11.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 R 11.4K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 R 13.9K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-78.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 R 10.8K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-89.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,731 R 29.0K

$720 MX$12.6K

140.32%

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 Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Alexandra 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 140% higher in Alexandra, 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 $34.00 in Alexandra versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $251 – making Alexandra 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,506 per month in Alexandra 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 Alexandra, 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 $1,004 in Alexandra 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 $196 per month in Alexandra 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 Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,004, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,004 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. 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.