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: $1,336 in Coronado versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,139 in Coronado versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,941 in Coronado versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coronado is roughly 6% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coronado is 0% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.98 PAB 11.98

$11.99 MX$210

-0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.63 PAB 35.63

$41.78 MX$733

-14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 PAB 8.98

$10.75 MX$189

-16.47%

Cappuccino

$2.88 PAB 2.88

$3.50 MX$61.3

-17.71%

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

$1.04 PAB 1.04

$1.45 MX$25.41

-28.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 PAB 0.83

$0.88 MX$15.52

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 PAB 1.51

$2.95 MX$51.7

-48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 PAB 2.97

$4.51 MX$79.1

-34.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 PAB 1.85

$1.43 MX$25.12

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$1.84 MX$32.23

-17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 PAB 2.91

$1.57 MX$27.51

85.35%

Eggs

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$2.51 MX$44.06

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 PAB 14.82

$8.28 MX$145

78.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 PAB 6.55

$8.43 MX$148

-22.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 PAB 9.43

$10.68 MX$187

-11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 PAB 2.63

$2.61 MX$45.76

0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.44 MX$25.22

-29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 PAB 2.94

$1.96 MX$34.41

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 PAB 2.98

$2.09 MX$36.74

42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 PAB 2.10

$1.85 MX$32.47

13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 PAB 1.94

$2.17 MX$38.02

-10.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 PAB 2.10

$1.03 MX$18.09

103.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 PAB 5.86

$4.10 MX$72.0

42.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

$10.17 MX$178

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 PAB 0.78

$1.68 MX$29.38

-53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 PAB 0.85

$2.53 MX$44.31

-66.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 PAB 0.97

$0.51 MX$8.93

90.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 PAB 1.49

$3.23 MX$56.7

-53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 PAB 1.51

$2.41 MX$42.19

-37.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 PAB 10.20

$3.23 MX$56.6

215.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PAB 0.91

$1.32 MX$23.17

-31.06%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$33.9K PAB 33.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

43.16%

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

$111 PAB 111

$82.0 MX$1,439

35.57%

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

$21.36 PAB 21.36

$22.95 MX$403

-6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 PAB 59.4

$30.11 MX$528

97.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 PAB 3.36

$4.98 MX$87.3

-32.53%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,385 PAB 6,385

$5,336 MX$93.6K

19.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.80 PAB 44.80

$35.60 MX$624

25.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.26 PAB 30.26

$40.33 MX$707

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 PAB 100

$78.8 MX$1,381

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 PAB 130

$88.9 MX$1,560

46.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 PAB 773

$947 MX$16.6K

-18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 PAB 566

$474 MX$8,314

19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 PAB 1,253

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 PAB 1,258

$1,211 MX$21.2K

3.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,992 PAB 1,992

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-69.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 PAB 604

$654 MX$11.5K

-7.65%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $773 in Coronado and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 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 6% 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 8% 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: $773 in Coronado versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Coronado versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 6% 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 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 $1,256 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 6% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.