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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,043 per month in Alges vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,916 per month in Alges vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,790 per month in Alges vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Alges costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Alges sits 52% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 €11.79

$11.73 MX$203

16.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 €45.29

$41.62 MX$719

26.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 €8.15

$10.64 MX$184

-11.00%

Cappuccino

$2.96 €2.55

$3.52 MX$60.8

-15.91%

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

$2.21 €1.91

$1.51 MX$26.09

46.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.97 MX$16.82

136.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.95 MX$51.0

-22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.01

$4.45 MX$77.0

-21.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.38 MX$23.90

-18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.89 MX$32.69

4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.64 MX$28.29

37.20%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.94

$2.51 MX$43.30

35.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.67

$8.34 MX$144

34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 €6.77

$8.34 MX$144

-5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.33

$10.73 MX$185

33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.60 MX$45.00

3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.46 MX$25.18

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.90 MX$32.84

-6.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.08 MX$35.88

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.78 MX$30.68

-15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.19 MX$37.76

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.04 MX$17.97

-16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.08 MX$18.60

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 €5.25

$4.08 MX$70.5

49.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 €4.55

$10.32 MX$178

-48.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.71 MX$29.59

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.58 MX$44.50

22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.51 MX$8.81

349.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.44 €39.98

$26.46 MX$457

75.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 €4.09

$3.26 MX$56.4

45.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$2.49 MX$43.05

-67.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.03

$3.25 MX$56.1

437.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.31 MX$22.59

43.51%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

16.37%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

64.99%

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

$165 €142

$82.9 MX$1,432

98.70%

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

$23.16 €19.94

$22.22 MX$384

4.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.94

$29.34 MX$507

73.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.50 €40.04

$51.6 MX$892

-9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.20 €7.92

$18.32 MX$317

-49.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 €6.83

$5.07 MX$87.5

56.41%

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

$744 €641

$201 MX$3,470

270.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,221 €7,078

$5,212 MX$90.1K

57.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €75.8

$36.92 MX$638

138.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 €30.03

$39.79 MX$688

-12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 €78.7

$78.5 MX$1,356

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 €79.1

$87.1 MX$1,505

5.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,104

$973 MX$16.8K

31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €929

$468 MX$8,082

130.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 €1,793

$1,641 MX$28.4K

26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,381

$1,221 MX$21.1K

31.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,301 €2,842

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-16.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,389 €2,056

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-63.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 €1,100

$664 MX$11.5K

92.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.42

-56.13%

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

Last update for Alges: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,282 in Alges versus $973 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 92% higher in Alges, 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 $53.0 in Alges versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,043 in Alges, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 58% apart. Alges costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,065 per month in Alges and $1,945 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.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Alges and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Alges, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Alges at $2,043. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alges it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alges has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $2,043 in Alges. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Alges makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.