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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,167 in Algeciras versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Algeciras versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,557 in Algeciras versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Algeciras costs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Algeciras 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.76 €7.49

$13.02 MX$221

-32.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 €32.00

$46.25 MX$784

-19.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 €5.83

$12.59 MX$213

-45.91%

Cappuccino

$1.69 €1.45

$4.00 MX$67.9

-57.75%

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

$1.34 €1.14

$1.42 MX$24.08

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$0.81 MX$13.73

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 €2.31

$3.05 MX$51.7

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 €3.55

$6.82 MX$116

-39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.71 MX$29.04

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 €1.05

$2.22 MX$37.62

-44.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.72 MX$29.13

-0.58%

Eggs

$3.46 €2.96

$2.71 MX$45.99

27.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 €9.50

$9.37 MX$159

18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.75 €6.63

$8.86 MX$150

-12.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 €12.51

$12.78 MX$217

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €1.99

$3.13 MX$53.0

-25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.55 MX$26.24

33.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 €1.55

$2.15 MX$36.51

-15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 €1.85

$2.35 MX$39.89

-8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$2.02 MX$34.23

-18.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.99 MX$33.67

-31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 €0.90

$1.24 MX$21.09

-15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 €0.54

$1.19 MX$20.21

-46.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 €5.56

$4.65 MX$78.8

39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 €4.29

$10.47 MX$177

-52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.58 MX$26.82

-25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$2.92 MX$49.48

-42.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 €1.35

$0.56 MX$9.53

182.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$5.32 MX$90.2

-23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.25

$3.72 MX$63.0

-60.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 €25.08

$5.78 MX$97.9

407.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.55 MX$26.27

5.16%

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

$31.3K €26.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

40.09%

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

$30.5K €26.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

19.15%

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

$87.5 €74.8

$89.3 MX$1,513

-2.05%

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

$11.77 €10.07

$23.30 MX$395

-49.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.57 €26.15

$31.72 MX$538

-3.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 €31.21

$68.8 MX$1,165

-46.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 €8.71

$5.06 MX$85.7

101.38%

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

$363 €310

$222 MX$3,765

63.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,339 €7,133

$4,293 MX$72.7K

94.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 €57.5

$46.21 MX$783

45.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.05 €29.12

$44.43 MX$753

-23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 €113

$95.5 MX$1,618

38.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 €119

$92.5 MX$1,568

50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 €406

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-55.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 €351

$393 MX$6,663

4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 €836

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 €734

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-34.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,169 €1,856

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-46.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,777 €1,520

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-73.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,887 €1,614

$747 MX$12.7K

152.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.43

11.6

-70.43%

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

Last update for Algeciras: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Algeciras and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Algeciras pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Algeciras vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $277 per month, with Algeciras 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

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

Algeciras and Playa del Carmen differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,167 vs $1,330 including rent). Algeciras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 153% higher in Algeciras, 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: $474 in Algeciras versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Algeciras versus $222 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Algeciras – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,167 in Algeciras versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Algeciras but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Algeciras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Algeciras and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Algeciras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.