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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,819 in Cromwell versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,839 in Cromwell versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,859 in Cromwell versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cromwell is roughly 45% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cromwell is 36% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 NZ$20.32

$11.99 MX$210

-1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.1 NZ$123

$41.78 MX$733

72.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 NZ$18.81

$10.75 MX$189

2.14%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.89

$3.50 MX$61.3

-1.71%

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

$2.31 NZ$3.95

$1.45 MX$25.41

59.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.55

$0.88 MX$15.52

135.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 NZ$12.68

$2.95 MX$51.7

150.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 NZ$10.37

$4.51 MX$79.1

34.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 NZ$3.70

$1.43 MX$25.12

51.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.84 MX$32.23

7.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.21

$1.57 MX$27.51

19.75%

Eggs

$5.61 NZ$9.61

$2.51 MX$44.06

123.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.33

$8.28 MX$145

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 NZ$18.01

$8.43 MX$148

24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.55

$10.68 MX$187

23.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.03

$2.61 MX$45.76

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.00

$1.44 MX$25.22

61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 NZ$5.92

$1.96 MX$34.41

76.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 NZ$7.66

$2.09 MX$36.74

114.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 NZ$3.38

$1.85 MX$32.47

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$2.17 MX$38.02

-8.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 NZ$4.25

$1.03 MX$18.09

140.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.91

$1.07 MX$18.84

3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.49 NZ$41.94

$4.10 MX$72.0

497.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 NZ$15.47

$10.17 MX$178

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.32

$1.68 MX$29.38

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.20

$2.53 MX$44.31

43.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$0.51 MX$8.93

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 NZ$108

$26.04 MX$457

141.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.76

$3.23 MX$56.7

-13.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$2.41 MX$42.19

-54.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.56 NZ$52.3

$3.23 MX$56.6

846.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.32 MX$23.17

24.24%

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

$19.8K NZ$33.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.46%

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

$25.8K NZ$44.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

8.91%

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

$100 NZ$171

$82.0 MX$1,439

21.96%

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

$36.31 NZ$62.2

$22.95 MX$403

58.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NZ$95.8

$30.11 MX$528

85.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.90 NZ$63.2

$52.0 MX$912

-29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.02 NZ$20.58

$18.53 MX$325

-35.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 NZ$15.58

$4.98 MX$87.3

82.73%

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

$596 NZ$1,021

$197 MX$3,463

202.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$22.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

150.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 NZ$112

$35.60 MX$624

83.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 NZ$60.3

$40.33 MX$707

-12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 NZ$166

$78.8 MX$1,381

22.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 NZ$212

$88.9 MX$1,560

39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,653

$947 MX$16.6K

1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,344

$474 MX$8,314

65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 NZ$2,680

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 NZ$2,360

$1,211 MX$21.2K

13.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,752 NZ$8,136

$4,056 MX$71.1K

17.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,426 NZ$5,866

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-47.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,070 NZ$5,256

$654 MX$11.5K

369.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.42

-42.21%

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

Last update for Cromwell: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $965 in Cromwell and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cromwell pays 369% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Cromwell vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 369% higher in Cromwell, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $965 in Cromwell versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Cromwell. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $72.0 in Cromwell. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,819 in Cromwell, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cromwell. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cromwell, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cromwell 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 45% less than in Cromwell. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.