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: $1,347 in Coronado versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Coronado versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,989 in Coronado versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coronado is roughly 4% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coronado is 1% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 PAB 11.86

$11.73 MX$203

1.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.29 PAB 35.29

$41.62 MX$720

-15.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 PAB 9.52

$10.64 MX$184

-10.53%

Cappuccino

$3.04 PAB 3.04

$3.52 MX$60.9

-13.64%

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

$1.08 PAB 1.08

$1.51 MX$26.12

-28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 PAB 0.86

$0.97 MX$16.84

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 PAB 1.51

$2.95 MX$51.0

-48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 PAB 2.96

$4.45 MX$77.0

-33.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 PAB 1.86

$1.38 MX$23.93

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 PAB 1.55

$1.89 MX$32.72

-17.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 PAB 3.09

$1.64 MX$28.32

88.41%

Eggs

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$2.51 MX$43.34

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 PAB 14.68

$8.34 MX$144

76.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 PAB 6.31

$8.34 MX$144

-24.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 PAB 9.31

$10.73 MX$186

-13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$2.60 MX$45.04

4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 PAB 0.95

$1.46 MX$25.20

-34.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 PAB 3.07

$1.90 MX$32.87

61.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 PAB 2.94

$2.08 MX$35.91

41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 PAB 2.08

$1.78 MX$30.71

16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 PAB 1.93

$2.19 MX$37.80

-11.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 PAB 2.11

$1.04 MX$17.99

102.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 PAB 6.13

$4.08 MX$70.6

50.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 PAB 10.17

$10.32 MX$178

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 PAB 0.84

$1.71 MX$29.61

-50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 PAB 0.88

$2.58 MX$44.54

-65.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$0.51 MX$8.81

101.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

$2.49 MX$43.09

-40.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 PAB 10.18

$3.25 MX$56.2

213.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PAB 0.92

$1.31 MX$22.61

-29.77%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$34.4K PAB 34.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

47.03%

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

$109 PAB 109

$82.9 MX$1,433

31.94%

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

$21.60 PAB 21.60

$22.22 MX$384

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 PAB 59.0

$29.34 MX$507

101.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.34 PAB 3.34

$5.07 MX$87.6

-34.12%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,576 PAB 6,576

$5,212 MX$90.1K

26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.60 PAB 44.60

$36.92 MX$639

20.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 PAB 29.51

$39.79 MX$688

-25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 PAB 98.2

$78.5 MX$1,357

25.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 PAB 133

$87.1 MX$1,506

53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 PAB 753

$973 MX$16.8K

-22.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 PAB 570

$468 MX$8,090

21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 PAB 1,236

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-24.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 PAB 1,309

$1,221 MX$21.1K

7.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 PAB 2,029

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-68.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 PAB 595

$664 MX$11.5K

-10.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Coronado: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $753 in Coronado and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Coronado vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $249, with Playa del Carmen 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 4% 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, Playa del Carmen earns 12% 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: $753 in Coronado versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,347 per month in Coronado versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Coronado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,347 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 $1,297 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 4% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.