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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $237 in Altos versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $358 in Altos versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $480 in Altos versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Altos costs roughly 82% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Altos 82% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 ₲3,107

$1.43 MX$24.59

-64.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 ₲3,708

$1.90 MX$32.70

-67.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₲6,243

$1.57 MX$26.95

-34.39%

Eggs

$1.88 ₲11.4K

$2.64 MX$45.34

-28.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 ₲36.2K

$8.44 MX$145

-29.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ₲21.3K

$8.58 MX$148

-58.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 ₲33.2K

$11.00 MX$189

-50.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₲14.7K

$2.70 MX$46.51

-10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ₲7,778

$1.51 MX$25.92

-15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ₲8,632

$1.91 MX$32.93

-25.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₲11.0K

$2.17 MX$37.37

-16.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ₲7,123

$1.87 MX$32.25

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 ₲9,494

$2.23 MX$38.43

-30.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₲7,425

$1.08 MX$18.60

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₲2,942

$1.07 MX$18.47

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ₲47.6K

$10.29 MX$177

-23.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₲4,095

$1.68 MX$28.95

-60.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₲5,029

$2.53 MX$43.59

-67.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₲2,340

$0.55 MX$9.53

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 ₲72.5K

$26.29 MX$452

-54.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₲5,118

$3.20 MX$55.0

-73.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 ₲4,369

$2.46 MX$42.37

-70.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₲7,174

$1.32 MX$22.72

-10.61%

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

$19.0K ₲115.6M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-36.84%

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

$23.9K ₲145.2M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

2.28%

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

$35.26 ₲214.0K

$81.4 MX$1,400

-56.66%

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

$8.23 ₲49.9K

$22.41 MX$386

-63.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.79 ₲83.7K

$29.97 MX$516

-53.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 ₲21.6K

$5.16 MX$88.9

-31.20%

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.72 ₲150.0K

$35.61 MX$613

-30.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₲9.0M

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-63.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 ₲6.0M

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-84.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ₲3.1M

$673 MX$11.6K

-24.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Altos: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

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

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 447% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 32% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 120% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $237 in Altos versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 447% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.