Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlotte Amalie and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,360 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,227 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,093 per month in Charlotte Amalie vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Charlotte Amalie costs about 81% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Charlotte Amalie sits 71% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.91 $24.91

$11.96 MX$203

108.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$47.38 MX$804

156.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 $13.23

$11.75 MX$199

12.60%

Cappuccino

$7.13 $7.13

$4.12 MX$70.0

73.06%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.40 MX$23.74

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.91 MX$15.48

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 $5.63

$3.21 MX$54.4

75.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$7.07 MX$120

-2.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.68 MX$28.44

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$8.85 $8.85

$2.15 MX$36.48

311.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$6.88 $6.88

$2.82 MX$47.76

143.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.60 MX$78.1

10.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.27 $20.27

$10.52 MX$178

92.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$2.77 MX$47.06

159.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.17 $6.17

$0.60 MX$10.22

928.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.29 $20.29

$5.24 MX$88.8

287.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.54 MX$26.09

-11.69%

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

$45.9K $45.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

101.14%

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

$48.7K $48.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

88.85%

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

$298 $298

$90.7 MX$1,538

229.18%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$25.19 MX$427

139.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 $102

$31.75 MX$539

220.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$202 $202

$68.8 MX$1,167

194.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$12.02 $12.02

$4.86 MX$82.5

147.33%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 $91.3

$80.2 MX$1,361

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 $1,235

$1,086 MX$18.4K

13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 $1,019

$409 MX$6,933

149.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,467 $3,467

$1,972 MX$33.5K

75.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,988 $2,988

$1,281 MX$21.7K

133.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 Charlotte Amalie: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,235 in Charlotte Amalie versus $1,086 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Charlotte Amalie versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Charlotte Amalie vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Charlotte Amalie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Charlotte Amalie is pricier by about 81%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,540 per month in Charlotte Amalie and $1,958 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Charlotte Amalie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Charlotte Amalie and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Charlotte Amalie at $2,360. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlotte Amalie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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