Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between El Progreso and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $565 in El Progreso versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $896 in El Progreso versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,227 in El Progreso versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in El Progreso costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Progreso 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 HNL 157

$11.95 MX$209

-50.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 HNL 667

$41.94 MX$734

-40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 HNL 208

$10.42 MX$182

-25.53%

Cappuccino

$1.46 HNL 39.03

$3.51 MX$61.5

-58.40%

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

$1.00 HNL 26.70

$1.52 MX$26.56

-34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 HNL 26.18

$0.91 MX$15.95

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 HNL 31.19

$3.04 MX$53.2

-61.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 HNL 53.1

$4.37 MX$76.5

-54.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 HNL 35.57

$1.42 MX$24.89

-6.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 HNL 56.1

$1.83 MX$32.07

14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.66

$1.63 MX$28.63

-25.15%

Eggs

$2.10 HNL 56.2

$2.54 MX$44.48

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.28 HNL 114

$8.57 MX$150

-50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 HNL 98.7

$8.49 MX$149

-56.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 HNL 208

$10.80 MX$189

-28.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 HNL 80.4

$2.75 MX$48.25

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 HNL 38.94

$1.44 MX$25.16

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 HNL 38.46

$1.89 MX$33.04

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 HNL 42.45

$2.17 MX$38.01

-26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.19

$1.78 MX$31.17

-8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 HNL 36.43

$2.22 MX$38.96

-38.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 HNL 22.28

$1.07 MX$18.72

-22.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 HNL 45.83

$1.08 MX$18.91

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 HNL 65.3

$4.15 MX$72.6

-41.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 HNL 34.46

$1.74 MX$30.53

-25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 HNL 48.27

$2.58 MX$45.21

-30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 HNL 114

$3.21 MX$56.2

32.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 HNL 28.81

$1.26 MX$22.01

-14.29%

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

$19.5K HNL 521.1K

$29.7K MX$520.0K

-34.37%

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

$19.0K HNL 508.5K

$23.7K MX$414.8K

-19.72%

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

$81.4 HNL 2,176

$82.0 MX$1,437

-0.83%

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

$8.78 HNL 235

$22.73 MX$398

-61.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.49 HNL 1,083

$29.42 MX$515

37.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 HNL 159

$4.93 MX$86.4

20.28%

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

$246 HNL 6,584

$202 MX$3,534

22.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.70 HNL 1,222

$35.93 MX$629

27.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 HNL 945

$40.33 MX$706

-12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 HNL 2,923

$79.9 MX$1,399

36.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 HNL 2,791

$89.3 MX$1,564

16.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,150

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for El Progreso: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in El Progreso vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $252 per month, with El Progreso 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

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

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $848 in El Progreso and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $565 per month in El Progreso versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in El Progreso versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.