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: $772 in Belem versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Belem versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,734 in Belem versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Belem costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.39

$11.73 MX$203

-62.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 R$145

$41.62 MX$721

-31.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 R$31.15

$10.64 MX$184

-42.11%

Cappuccino

$1.59 R$8.07

$3.52 MX$61.0

-54.83%

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

$0.93 R$4.71

$1.51 MX$26.17

-38.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 R$2.20

$0.97 MX$16.87

-54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.12

$2.95 MX$51.1

-45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.74

$4.45 MX$77.2

-16.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.86

$1.38 MX$23.97

-15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 R$10.63

$1.89 MX$32.78

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.64 MX$28.37

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.21

$2.51 MX$43.42

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 R$53.9

$8.34 MX$145

27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 R$19.61

$8.34 MX$145

-53.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 R$32.88

$10.73 MX$186

-39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.55

$2.60 MX$45.12

-35.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.40

$1.46 MX$25.25

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.90 MX$32.94

-35.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.35

$2.08 MX$35.98

-30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.78 MX$30.77

-48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 R$2.84

$2.19 MX$37.87

-74.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.04 MX$18.02

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R$6.78

$1.08 MX$18.66

24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 R$12.04

$4.08 MX$70.7

-41.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 R$48.83

$10.32 MX$179

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.71 MX$29.67

-20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 R$22.42

$2.58 MX$44.63

71.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.48

$0.51 MX$8.83

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.60 R$109

$26.46 MX$459

-18.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.30

$3.26 MX$56.5

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.62

$2.49 MX$43.17

-71.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 R$46.14

$3.25 MX$56.3

180.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.46

$1.31 MX$22.65

-17.56%

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

$16.2K R$81.7K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-46.65%

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

$28.9K R$146.3K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

23.39%

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

$110 R$557

$82.9 MX$1,436

32.92%

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

$14.40 R$72.8

$22.22 MX$385

-35.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 R$107

$29.34 MX$508

-27.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.77 R$105

$51.6 MX$895

-59.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 R$110

$18.32 MX$317

18.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 R$31.99

$5.07 MX$87.8

24.65%

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

$97.4 R$493

$201 MX$3,480

-51.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,133 R$15.9K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-39.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.96 R$167

$36.92 MX$640

-10.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.72 R$145

$39.79 MX$689

-27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$379

$78.5 MX$1,360

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.69 R$211

$87.1 MX$1,509

-52.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R$2,237

$973 MX$16.9K

-54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 R$938

$468 MX$8,105

-60.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 R$4,123

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 R$2,314

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-62.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,996 R$10.1K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-49.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 R$7,186

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-78.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 R$1,982

$664 MX$11.5K

-40.99%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Belem and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 69% 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 $206 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 69% less. 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: $442 in Belem versus $973 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $97.4 in Belem versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Belem versus $1,297 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 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.