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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,058 per month in Brasschaat vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,199 per month in Brasschaat vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,340 per month in Brasschaat vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brasschaat costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brasschaat sits 54% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.39 €20.02

$11.94 MX$209

95.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €100

$42.75 MX$748

173.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.70 €10.87

$10.59 MX$185

19.92%

Cappuccino

$4.04 €3.46

$3.62 MX$63.4

11.60%

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

$3.48 €2.98

$1.47 MX$25.69

136.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.71

$0.94 MX$16.51

237.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 €4.89

$3.09 MX$54.1

84.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 €4.42

$4.46 MX$78.0

15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.43 MX$24.94

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 €2.34

$1.88 MX$32.97

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 €1.97

$1.63 MX$28.50

41.72%

Eggs

$4.17 €3.57

$2.64 MX$46.26

57.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 €15.14

$8.21 MX$144

115.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 €9.97

$8.29 MX$145

40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$11.10 MX$194

71.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 €2.63

$2.65 MX$46.40

15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$1.50 MX$26.26

62.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.27

$1.99 MX$34.79

33.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 €2.83

$2.08 MX$36.33

59.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$1.79 MX$31.29

51.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.18 MX$38.09

-5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.08 MX$18.84

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.04 MX$18.15

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.55 €10.74

$3.97 MX$69.5

216.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €7.95

$10.20 MX$179

-9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.65

$1.73 MX$30.22

11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.24

$2.50 MX$43.71

4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 €2.43

$0.52 MX$9.07

446.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 €48.09

$26.97 MX$472

108.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.09

$3.14 MX$55.0

89.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 €2.11

$2.40 MX$42.04

2.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.75 €40.02

$3.09 MX$54.0

1412.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.27 MX$22.28

51.18%

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

$33.5K €28.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

8.60%

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

$33.3K €28.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

42.91%

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

$208 €178

$82.0 MX$1,435

153.90%

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

$23.36 €19.99

$22.45 MX$393

4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 €44.78

$29.66 MX$519

76.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 €32.47

$51.9 MX$908

-26.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 €14.47

$18.67 MX$327

-9.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 €13.09

$4.97 MX$87.0

207.65%

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

$586 €501

$198 MX$3,462

196.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K €11.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

158.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.3

$36.34 MX$636

206.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 €42.60

$40.05 MX$701

24.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €91.1

$79.9 MX$1,398

33.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 €136

$88.9 MX$1,555

79.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 €788

$963 MX$16.9K

-4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 €647

$465 MX$8,133

62.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,562 €1,337

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-2.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 €1,080

$1,209 MX$21.2K

4.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 €2,593

$720 MX$12.6K

320.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

11.42

-71.37%

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

Last update for Brasschaat: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $920 in Brasschaat versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 320% higher in Brasschaat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in Brasschaat versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Brasschaat costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,086 per month in Brasschaat and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,058 in Brasschaat and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Brasschaat at $2,058. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brasschaat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $2,058 in Brasschaat. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brasschaat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.