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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,487 per month in Cancun vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,433 per month in Cancun vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,378 per month in Cancun vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cancun costs about 15% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Cancun sits 8% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$203

$11.71 MX$199

1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 MX$1,001

$46.59 MX$792

26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 MX$205

$11.65 MX$198

3.35%

Cappuccino

$4.17 MX$70.8

$4.09 MX$69.6

1.96%

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

$1.39 MX$23.68

$1.37 MX$23.35

1.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$14.95

$0.83 MX$14.17

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$56.2

$3.35 MX$57.0

-1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MX$76.3

$6.91 MX$117

-35.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$1.73 MX$29.35

2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.14

$2.26 MX$38.41

20.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.31

$1.77 MX$30.07

0.56%

Eggs

$2.88 MX$48.88

$2.73 MX$46.43

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 MX$177

$9.18 MX$156

13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 MX$155

$8.92 MX$152

2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 MX$243

$12.60 MX$214

13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$49.59

$3.02 MX$51.3

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 MX$28.85

$1.57 MX$26.69

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 MX$55.1

$2.13 MX$36.12

52.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 MX$40.28

$2.26 MX$38.48

4.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.56

$2.00 MX$34.05

1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.35

$2.06 MX$35.08

-4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.30

$1.18 MX$20.05

0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$21.81

$1.20 MX$20.46

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.80 MX$81.6

$4.63 MX$78.8

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 MX$179

$10.69 MX$182

-1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$27.76

$1.62 MX$27.52

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.43

$2.88 MX$48.96

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.48

$0.57 MX$9.74

19.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.36 MX$516

$29.83 MX$507

1.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 MX$77.7

$5.45 MX$92.6

-16.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 MX$53.4

$3.70 MX$63.0

-15.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 MX$251

$5.98 MX$102

146.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.72

$1.55 MX$26.40

1.29%

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

$22.5K MX$382.9K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

0.93%

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

$25.9K MX$440.4K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-0.13%

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

$177 MX$3,002

$89.1 MX$1,515

98.17%

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

$25.68 MX$436

$25.04 MX$426

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.90 MX$695

$31.50 MX$535

29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.82 MX$592

$67.8 MX$1,152

-48.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 MX$248

$28.92 MX$491

-49.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 MX$132

$5.05 MX$85.8

53.66%

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

$222 MX$3,772

$225 MX$3,823

-1.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,926 MX$100.7K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

40.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 MX$1,007

$47.44 MX$806

24.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 MX$998

$44.98 MX$764

30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 MX$1,382

$82.0 MX$1,393

-0.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,695

$92.1 MX$1,565

8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 MX$11.9K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,188

$405 MX$6,888

18.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 MX$25.4K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 MX$19.1K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-13.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,356 MX$23.0K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-66.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,103 MX$35.7K

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-68.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 MX$14.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

13.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Cancun: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Cancun versus $1,069 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 13% higher in Cancun, 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 $59.0 in Cancun versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $277 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,487 in Cancun, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 15% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,231 per month in Cancun and $1,940 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.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Cancun and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Cancun at $1,487. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $1,487 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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