Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antrim and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,403 in Antrim, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Antrim, United Kingdom
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Antrim
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,403
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antrim and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Antrim and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,403 in Antrim versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Antrim $2,403
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,591 in Antrim versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Antrim $3,591
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Antrim versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Antrim $4,780
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Antrim is roughly 100% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Antrim is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.18 £18.20
$10.92 MX$204
121.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.1 £70.8
$43.37 MX$808
116.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 £7.98
$11.78 MX$220
-10.02%
Cappuccino
$4.75 £3.57
$3.81 MX$71.0
24.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 £1.90
$1.28 MX$23.90
97.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 £1.49
$0.78 MX$14.59
153.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.19 £6.16
$3.17 MX$59.0
158.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.01 £6.03
$4.93 MX$92.0
62.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 £1.33
$1.41 MX$26.22
24.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 £1.74
$2.22 MX$41.33
4.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 £1.71
$1.42 MX$26.42
59.86%
Eggs
$5.00 £3.76
$2.52 MX$47.03
98.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.75 £8.09
$7.26 MX$135
48.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.08 £8.34
$7.70 MX$143
43.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.12 £12.13
$12.69 MX$237
27.03%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 £2.22
$2.78 MX$51.9
6.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 £1.47
$1.37 MX$25.50
42.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.37 £2.54
$2.55 MX$47.55
32.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 £3.15
$2.12 MX$39.58
97.64%
Potato (1kg)
$2.37 £1.79
$1.94 MX$36.13
22.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 £1.21
$1.89 MX$35.16
-14.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 £1.00
$1.15 MX$21.37
15.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 £1.45
$1.18 MX$21.98
63.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.98 £18.05
$4.30 MX$80.1
457.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.13 £9.13
$9.95 MX$185
21.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.20 £2.41
$1.58 MX$29.52
102.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 £2.46
$2.67 MX$49.79
22.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$6.98 £5.26
$0.55 MX$10.31
1169.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$97.6 £73.5
$26.62 MX$496
266.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.58 £3.45
$4.97 MX$92.6
-7.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 £1.37
$3.33 MX$62.1
-45.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.31 £22.06
$5.36 MX$99.8
446.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 £1.60
$1.44 MX$26.92
47.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K £29.5K
$20.7K MX$385.2K
89.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.7K £29.9K
$23.5K MX$437.4K
69.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$264 £199
$84.8 MX$1,581
211.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.96 £12.77
$23.41 MX$436
-27.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.48 £34.23
$28.66 MX$534
58.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.78 £25.42
$57.1 MX$1,063
-40.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.48 £7.13
$28.91 MX$539
-67.21%
Cinema Ticket
$14.48 £10.90
$5.14 MX$95.8
181.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,417 £1,066
$207 MX$3,851
586.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K £13.7K
$3,927 MX$73.2K
362.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.1 £62.5
$43.35 MX$808
91.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.87 £35.28
$41.44 MX$772
13.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 £80.8
$74.2 MX$1,383
44.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £78.4
$89.3 MX$1,664
16.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 £922
$980 MX$18.3K
25.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,011 £761
$381 MX$7,099
165.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,105 £1,584
$1,708 MX$31.8K
23.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,661 £1,250
$1,075 MX$20.0K
54.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,128 £3,859
$3,943 MX$73.5K
30.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,904 £2,938
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-36.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Antrim
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,004 £2,261
$735 MX$13.7K
309.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.91
11.45
-57.12%

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

Last update for Antrim: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Antrim
$1K
Playa del Carmen
$381 62.3% $631
Eating Out
Antrim
$357
Playa del Carmen
$202 43.3% $155
Groceries & Markets
Antrim
$352
Playa del Carmen
$255 27.7% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antrim
$326
Playa del Carmen
$137 58.1% $189
Clothing & Footwear
Antrim
$154
Playa del Carmen
$112 27.3% $42
Getting Around
Antrim
$139
Playa del Carmen
$50 63.8% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Antrim
$63
Playa del Carmen
$67 7.3% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,225 in Antrim and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antrim pays about 4.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $94 in Antrim vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Antrim
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
20:37 8:37 PM
15:37 3:37 PM
5 h behind Antrim
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,001
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Antrim Playa del Carmen 7,570 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Antrim
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Antrim vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Antrim?
Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Antrim or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay in Antrim is about 4.1 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Antrim and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,225 in Antrim versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Antrim and in Playa del Carmen?
All in, you’ll spend $2,403 per month in Antrim versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 73% less than in Antrim. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Antrim or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,403 in Antrim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Antrim. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Antrim or in Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Antrim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Antrim vs other spots: cost of living compared

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