Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellsworth, ME and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellsworth, ME and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,558 in Ellsworth, ME versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,805 in Ellsworth, ME versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,052 in Ellsworth, ME versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ellsworth, ME is roughly 99% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ellsworth, ME is 91% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 $18.15

$11.94 MX$209

52.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$42.75 MX$748

155.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$10.59 MX$185

14.73%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.62 MX$63.4

40.88%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$1.47 MX$25.69

31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.94 MX$16.51

142.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.09 MX$54.1

32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$4.46 MX$78.0

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.43 MX$24.94

-28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.88 MX$32.97

88.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$1.63 MX$28.50

242.94%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.64 MX$46.26

63.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$8.21 MX$144

103.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 $7.76

$8.29 MX$145

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$11.10 MX$194

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.65 MX$46.40

26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.50 MX$26.26

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.59 $6.59

$1.99 MX$34.79

231.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.08 MX$36.33

109.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.79 MX$31.29

25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.18 MX$38.09

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.08 MX$18.84

172.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.04 MX$18.15

127.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 $12.57

$3.97 MX$69.5

216.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$10.20 MX$179

47.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.73 MX$30.22

9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.50 MX$43.71

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.52 MX$9.07

294.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.14 MX$55.0

-35.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.40 MX$42.04

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.00 $29.00

$3.09 MX$54.0

838.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.27 MX$22.28

-33.07%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-3.98%

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

$37.5K $37.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

60.83%

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

$165 $165

$82.0 MX$1,435

101.48%

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

$55.5 $55.5

$22.45 MX$393

147.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$29.66 MX$519

71.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 $43.74

$51.9 MX$908

-15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 $14.57

$4.97 MX$87.0

193.16%

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

$1,280 $1,280

$198 MX$3,462

547.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

342.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 $50.4

$36.34 MX$636

38.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 $74.7

$40.05 MX$701

86.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$79.9 MX$1,398

24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 $98.7

$88.9 MX$1,555

11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$963 MX$16.9K

65.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$465 MX$8,133

190.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$1,596 MX$27.9K

66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$1,209 MX$21.2K

86.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,090 $3,090

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-21.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 $2,340

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-63.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-73.73%

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

Last update for Ellsworth, ME: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Ellsworth, ME and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $109 in Ellsworth, ME vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $251 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

Ellsworth, ME 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,837 in Ellsworth, ME and $1,930 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,591 in Ellsworth, ME versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,280 in Ellsworth, ME versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $109 in Ellsworth, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,558 in Ellsworth, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ellsworth, ME. 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 Ellsworth, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Ellsworth, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.