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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Belem versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Belem versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Belem versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Belem costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.66

$11.99 MX$210

-63.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.89 R$148

$41.78 MX$733

-30.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$32.02

$10.75 MX$189

-41.77%

Cappuccino

$1.60 R$8.16

$3.50 MX$61.3

-54.29%

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

$0.93 R$4.73

$1.45 MX$25.41

-35.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.38

$0.88 MX$15.52

-46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.16

$2.95 MX$51.7

-45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 R$17.93

$4.51 MX$79.1

-22.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.90

$1.43 MX$25.12

-19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 R$10.79

$1.84 MX$32.23

14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$1.57 MX$27.51

-20.38%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.11

$2.51 MX$44.06

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 R$52.7

$8.28 MX$145

24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 R$20.18

$8.43 MX$148

-53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.28

$10.68 MX$187

-37.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.74

$2.61 MX$45.76

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.83

$1.44 MX$25.22

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$1.96 MX$34.41

-34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$2.09 MX$36.74

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.72

$1.85 MX$32.47

-50.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 R$2.81

$2.17 MX$38.02

-74.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.27

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.88

$1.07 MX$18.84

26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.74

$4.10 MX$72.0

-39.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 R$50.5

$10.17 MX$178

-2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.68 MX$29.38

-22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 R$23.32

$2.53 MX$44.31

80.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 R$3.80

$0.51 MX$8.93

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.48 R$110

$26.04 MX$457

-17.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$3.23 MX$56.7

-65.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.79

$2.41 MX$42.19

-69.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 R$45.17

$3.23 MX$56.6

173.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.30

$1.32 MX$23.17

-21.21%

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

$16.1K R$82.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-45.76%

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

$29.0K R$148.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

22.37%

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

$111 R$568

$82.0 MX$1,439

35.51%

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

$14.53 R$74.3

$22.95 MX$403

-36.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.28 R$109

$30.11 MX$528

-29.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.25 R$109

$52.0 MX$912

-59.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 R$110

$18.53 MX$325

16.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 R$31.76

$4.98 MX$87.3

24.70%

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

$101 R$514

$197 MX$3,463

-49.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 R$15.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-42.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 R$169

$35.60 MX$624

-7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 R$148

$40.33 MX$707

-28.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$387

$78.8 MX$1,381

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.88 R$214

$88.9 MX$1,560

-52.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,225

$947 MX$16.6K

-54.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$474 MX$8,314

-60.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 R$4,091

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 R$2,382

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-61.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,951 R$9,972

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-51.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 R$6,995

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-78.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 R$2,090

$654 MX$11.5K

-37.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

11.42

6.83%

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

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Belem and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Belem vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $249 per month, with Belem 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

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

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Belem versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Belem versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem 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 Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.