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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,252 per month in Eastleigh vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,388 per month in Eastleigh vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,524 per month in Eastleigh vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Eastleigh costs about 77% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Eastleigh sits 68% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.60 £15.32
$11.87 MX$204
73.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.7 £60.7
$42.90 MX$736
90.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.04 £7.46
$10.65 MX$183
-5.73%
Cappuccino
$4.61 £3.43
$3.45 MX$59.2
33.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 £1.76
$1.50 MX$25.81
58.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 £1.22
$0.95 MX$16.28
72.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.26 £4.66
$3.03 MX$51.9
106.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.25 £4.64
$4.61 MX$79.1
35.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 £1.22
$1.38 MX$23.61
19.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 £1.24
$1.85 MX$31.70
-10.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 £1.62
$1.61 MX$27.65
36.02%
Eggs
$3.97 £2.95
$2.59 MX$44.51
53.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 £7.45
$8.26 MX$142
21.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.86 £6.59
$8.37 MX$144
5.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.33 £10.65
$10.66 MX$183
34.43%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 £2.25
$2.63 MX$45.12
15.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 £1.23
$1.49 MX$25.53
11.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 £2.15
$1.92 MX$32.94
50.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.57 £2.65
$2.09 MX$35.81
70.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 £1.25
$1.86 MX$31.88
-9.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.53 £1.14
$2.26 MX$38.81
-32.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 £0.83
$1.06 MX$18.23
5.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 £1.09
$1.09 MX$18.67
34.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.77 £13.95
$4.15 MX$71.2
352.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.55 £8.59
$10.39 MX$178
11.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 £2.10
$1.72 MX$29.59
64.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 £2.30
$2.61 MX$44.85
18.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.43 £2.55
$0.54 MX$9.30
535.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.6 £65.8
$26.94 MX$462
228.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 £4.02
$3.13 MX$53.7
72.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 £1.19
$2.51 MX$43.09
-35.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.41 £17.40
$3.15 MX$54.1
643.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 £1.45
$1.27 MX$21.88
53.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K £28.1K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
24.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K £30.6K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
74.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$295 £219
$83.0 MX$1,425
255.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.96 £12.61
$22.71 MX$390
-25.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.93 £32.66
$29.46 MX$506
49.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.99 £33.45
$51.0 MX$875
-11.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.39 £9.21
$18.33 MX$315
-32.41%
Cinema Ticket
$13.52 £10.05
$4.93 MX$84.5
174.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,614 £1,200
$197 MX$3,386
718.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K £13.9K
$5,280 MX$90.6K
252.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.7 £62.2
$36.90 MX$633
126.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.70 £32.49
$39.89 MX$685
9.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.2 £67.8
$80.0 MX$1,373
14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 £73.4
$89.5 MX$1,536
10.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 £903
$956 MX$16.4K
26.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 £738
$477 MX$8,189
108.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,069 £1,538
$1,646 MX$28.3K
25.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,719 £1,278
$1,225 MX$21.0K
40.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,660 £3,465
$3,918 MX$67.2K
18.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Eastleigh
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$667 MX$11.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.63
11.42
-50.70%

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

Last update for Eastleigh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,214 in Eastleigh 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Eastleigh versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Eastleigh vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Eastleigh or Playa del Carmen?
Eastleigh costs about 77% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Eastleigh vs Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,378 per month in Eastleigh and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Eastleigh or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Eastleigh vs Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Eastleigh and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Eastleigh compared to Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,252 in Eastleigh and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Eastleigh or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Eastleigh at $2,252. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Eastleigh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Eastleigh or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,271 versus $2,252 in Eastleigh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Eastleigh compared to Playa del Carmen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Eastleigh or Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Eastleigh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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