Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria, LA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria, LA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,157 in Alexandria, LA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,977 in Alexandria, LA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Alexandria, LA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Alexandria, LA is roughly 67% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria, LA is 57% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 $15.92

$11.71 MX$198

35.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 $51.9

$46.59 MX$787

11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$11.65 MX$197

-13.91%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$4.09 MX$69.2

32.27%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.37 MX$23.23

78.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.83 MX$14.09

165.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.35 MX$56.7

79.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$6.91 MX$117

16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.73 MX$29.19

-20.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.26 MX$38.20

-26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$1.77 MX$29.90

251.98%

Eggs

$5.60 $5.60

$2.73 MX$46.18

105.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$9.18 MX$155

-6.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$8.92 MX$151

-26.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$12.60 MX$213

22.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.02 MX$51.1

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.57 MX$26.54

-14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.13 MX$35.92

152.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.26 MX$38.27

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.00 MX$33.87

110.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.06 MX$34.89

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.18 MX$19.94

90.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.20 MX$20.35

119.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.97 $8.97

$4.63 MX$78.3

93.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.69 $16.69

$10.69 MX$181

56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.62 MX$27.37

56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.88 MX$48.69

34.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.45 MX$92.1

-35.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.70 MX$62.6

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.59 $34.59

$5.98 MX$101

478.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.55 MX$26.25

-56.13%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

59.43%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-1.79%

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

$179 $179

$89.1 MX$1,506

101.32%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$25.04 MX$423

186.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$31.50 MX$532

136.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 $12.40

$5.05 MX$85.3

145.54%

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

$1,536 $1,536

$225 MX$3,802

582.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

146.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$47.44 MX$802

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 $42.70

$44.98 MX$760

-5.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$82.0 MX$1,386

4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$92.1 MX$1,556

32.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 $940

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 $980

$405 MX$6,850

141.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 $1,419

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-26.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-1.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,252 $1,252

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-68.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 $1,253

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-81.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,055 $3,055

$749 MX$12.7K

308.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.45

-46.99%

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

Last update for Alexandria, LA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $940 in Alexandria, LA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria, LA pays 308% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Alexandria, LA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Alexandria, LA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 308% higher in Alexandria, LA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $940 in Alexandria, LA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Alexandria, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,157 per month in Alexandria, LA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,157 in Alexandria, LA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Alexandria, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alexandria, LA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Alexandria, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.