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: $239 in Altos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $358 in Altos versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $477 in Altos versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Altos costs roughly 81% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Altos 82% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 ₲3,080

$1.43 MX$24.80

-65.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₲3,953

$1.88 MX$32.79

-66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₲6,395

$1.63 MX$28.34

-37.42%

Eggs

$1.90 ₲11.9K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-28.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 ₲37.6K

$8.21 MX$143

-27.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ₲21.7K

$8.29 MX$144

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ₲35.3K

$11.10 MX$193

-49.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₲15.2K

$2.65 MX$46.14

-8.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ₲8,294

$1.50 MX$26.11

-12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₲8,704

$1.99 MX$34.59

-30.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₲11.0K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ₲7,730

$1.79 MX$31.11

-31.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 ₲10.2K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₲7,456

$1.08 MX$18.73

9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₲3,217

$1.04 MX$18.04

-50.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₲50.9K

$10.20 MX$178

-20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₲4,518

$1.73 MX$30.04

-58.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₲5,176

$2.50 MX$43.46

-67.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ₲2,613

$0.52 MX$9.02

-21.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.07 ₲76.0K

$26.97 MX$469

-55.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₲5,323

$3.14 MX$54.7

-72.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₲4,585

$2.40 MX$41.80

-69.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₲7,390

$1.27 MX$22.16

-7.87%

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

$19.0K ₲119.8M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-38.40%

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

$23.1K ₲145.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-1.06%

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

$34.51 ₲217.4K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-57.92%

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

$7.90 ₲49.7K

$22.45 MX$391

-64.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.95 ₲87.8K

$29.66 MX$516

-52.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 ₲22.4K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-28.37%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.16 ₲158.5K

$36.34 MX$632

-30.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,521 ₲9.6M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-61.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 ₲6.3M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-84.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ₲3.1M

$720 MX$12.5K

-31.37%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 46% 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 439% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 46% 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 69% 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 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $239 in Altos versus $1,287 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 439% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.