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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,431 in Coronado versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,323 in Coronado versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,216 in Coronado versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coronado is roughly 11% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coronado is 4% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 PAB 11.83

$11.71 MX$198

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 PAB 55.6

$46.59 MX$788

19.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 PAB 8.99

$11.65 MX$197

-22.83%

Cappuccino

$4.56 PAB 4.56

$4.09 MX$69.2

11.49%

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

$0.90 PAB 0.90

$1.37 MX$23.23

-34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

$0.83 MX$14.09

13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 PAB 0.98

$3.35 MX$56.7

-70.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PAB 3.06

$6.91 MX$117

-55.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$1.73 MX$29.20

12.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 PAB 1.55

$2.26 MX$38.21

-31.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 PAB 2.93

$1.77 MX$29.91

65.54%

Eggs

$2.35 PAB 2.35

$2.73 MX$46.19

-13.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 PAB 11.86

$9.18 MX$155

29.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 PAB 6.72

$8.92 MX$151

-24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 PAB 9.04

$12.60 MX$213

-28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 PAB 0.98

$1.57 MX$26.55

-37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 PAB 3.03

$2.13 MX$35.93

42.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 PAB 2.91

$2.26 MX$38.28

28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 PAB 1.80

$2.00 MX$33.88

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$2.06 MX$34.90

-9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 PAB 2.18

$1.18 MX$19.94

84.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PAB 5.90

$4.63 MX$78.4

27.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

$10.69 MX$181

-4.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PAB 0.73

$1.62 MX$27.38

-54.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 PAB 0.68

$2.88 MX$48.70

-76.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$0.57 MX$9.69

73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$5.45 MX$92.1

-71.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 PAB 1.47

$3.70 MX$62.6

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 PAB 10.02

$5.98 MX$101

67.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PAB 0.94

$1.55 MX$26.26

-39.35%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$34.3K PAB 34.3K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

32.08%

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

$141 PAB 141

$89.1 MX$1,507

57.67%

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

$20.92 PAB 20.92

$25.04 MX$423

-16.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 PAB 58.8

$31.50 MX$532

86.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 PAB 58.8

$67.8 MX$1,146

-13.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$3.34 PAB 3.34

$5.05 MX$85.4

-33.86%

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 PAB 5,910

$4,222 MX$71.4K

39.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 PAB 45.89

$47.44 MX$802

-3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.06 PAB 30.06

$44.98 MX$760

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 PAB 99.1

$82.0 MX$1,386

20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 PAB 130

$92.1 MX$1,557

41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 PAB 772

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 PAB 561

$405 MX$6,852

38.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 PAB 1,248

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-35.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 PAB 1,290

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-0.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,024 PAB 2,024

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-69.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 PAB 608

$749 MX$12.7K

-18.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-47.60%

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

Last update for Coronado: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $772 in Coronado and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Coronado vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 vs $277, with Coronado cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Coronado. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $772 in Coronado versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,431 per month in Coronado versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Coronado pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,431 in Coronado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Coronado. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Coronado and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.