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: $2,517 in Ellsworth, ME versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,758 in Ellsworth, ME versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,998 in Ellsworth, ME versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ellsworth, ME is roughly 98% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ellsworth, ME is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.96 $17.96

$11.87 MX$204

51.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 $108

$42.90 MX$736

152.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.65 MX$183

13.80%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.45 MX$59.2

47.83%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$1.50 MX$25.81

36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.95 MX$16.28

148.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.03 MX$51.9

29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.61 MX$79.1

27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.38 MX$23.61

-28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.85 MX$31.70

97.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$1.61 MX$27.65

238.51%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$2.59 MX$44.51

61.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$8.26 MX$142

97.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$8.37 MX$144

-6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$10.66 MX$183

2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.63 MX$45.12

27.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$1.92 MX$32.94

236.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.09 MX$35.81

106.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.86 MX$31.88

19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.26 MX$38.81

-27.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.06 MX$18.23

182.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.09 MX$18.67

114.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.46 $12.46

$4.15 MX$71.2

200.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$10.39 MX$178

43.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.72 MX$29.59

13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.61 MX$44.85

14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.54 MX$9.30

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.13 MX$53.7

-37.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.51 MX$43.09

-34.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$3.15 MX$54.1

840.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.92%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-3.40%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

58.80%

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

$160 $160

$83.0 MX$1,425

93.35%

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

$55.2 $55.2

$22.71 MX$390

143.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 $50.6

$29.46 MX$506

71.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.53 $42.53

$51.0 MX$875

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 $14.61

$4.93 MX$84.5

196.35%

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

$1,301 $1,301

$197 MX$3,386

559.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

352.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$36.90 MX$633

37.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.6 $73.6

$39.89 MX$685

84.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$80.0 MX$1,373

24.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 $98.4

$89.5 MX$1,536

9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 $1,595

$956 MX$16.4K

66.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$477 MX$8,189

186.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,675 $2,675

$1,646 MX$28.3K

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 $2,211

$1,225 MX$21.0K

80.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,997 $2,997

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-23.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 $2,368

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-63.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,595 in Ellsworth, ME and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $108 in Ellsworth, ME vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $250 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 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,776 in Ellsworth, ME and $1,906 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: $1,595 in Ellsworth, ME versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,301 in Ellsworth, ME versus $197 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 $108 in Ellsworth, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,517 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 98% less than in Ellsworth, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.