Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in East London vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in East London vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,092 per month in East London vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

East London is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both East London and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – East London 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.79 R 110

$11.87 MX$204

-42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.73 R 497

$42.90 MX$736

-28.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 R 71.9

$10.65 MX$183

-58.22%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.73

$3.45 MX$59.2

-41.45%

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

$0.99 R 16.00

$1.50 MX$25.81

-34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.23

$0.95 MX$16.28

-13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.32

$3.03 MX$51.9

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 R 50.6

$4.61 MX$79.1

-32.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R 17.13

$1.38 MX$23.61

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.55

$1.85 MX$31.70

-51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.85

$1.61 MX$27.65

26.09%

Eggs

$2.06 R 33.29

$2.59 MX$44.51

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 R 151

$8.26 MX$142

13.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 R 67.0

$8.37 MX$144

-50.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 R 120

$10.66 MX$183

-30.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.50

$2.63 MX$45.12

-42.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.47

$1.49 MX$25.53

42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.19

$1.92 MX$32.94

-25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.66

$2.09 MX$35.81

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.32

$1.86 MX$31.88

-15.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.78

$2.26 MX$38.81

-34.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.97

$1.06 MX$18.23

-0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 14.88

$1.09 MX$18.67

-15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.36

$4.15 MX$71.2

-36.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 R 79.6

$10.39 MX$178

-52.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.71

$1.72 MX$29.59

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 40.93

$2.61 MX$44.85

-3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R 11.82

$0.54 MX$9.30

35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.78 R 352

$26.94 MX$462

-19.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.29

$3.13 MX$53.7

-63.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.50

$2.51 MX$43.09

-61.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 R 66.9

$3.15 MX$54.1

31.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.62

$1.27 MX$21.88

-4.72%

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

$37.0K R 598.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

21.85%

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

$22.2K R 359.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-5.62%

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

$196 R 3,172

$83.0 MX$1,425

136.42%

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

$30.20 R 488

$22.71 MX$390

32.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.54 R 720

$29.46 MX$506

51.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.44 R 541

$51.0 MX$875

-34.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.43 R 23.05

$18.33 MX$315

-92.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.60 R 58.2

$4.93 MX$84.5

-26.98%

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

$121 R 1,948

$197 MX$3,386

-38.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,276 R 69.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-19.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R 838

$36.90 MX$633

40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.73 R 464

$39.89 MX$685

-27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 R 1,724

$80.0 MX$1,373

33.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 R 1,380

$89.5 MX$1,536

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 R 4,337

$956 MX$16.4K

-71.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 R 4,845

$477 MX$8,189

-37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 R 8,161

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-69.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 R 8,912

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-54.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,645 R 26.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

146.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-3.68%

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

Last update for East London: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in East London versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 147% higher in East London, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in East London versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $250 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in East London, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in East London and $1,906 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 East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $121 per month in East London and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,052 in East London to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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