Cost of Living Comparison Between English Harbour and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between English Harbour and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,653 per month in English Harbour vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in English Harbour vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,278 per month in English Harbour vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

English Harbour costs about 105% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

English Harbour sits 98% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.19 EC$30.22

$11.73 MX$203

-4.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 EC$305

$41.62 MX$720

171.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 EC$23.16

$10.64 MX$184

-19.36%

Cappuccino

$4.79 EC$12.92

$3.52 MX$60.9

36.08%

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

$2.26 EC$6.11

$1.51 MX$26.12

49.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 EC$2.92

$0.97 MX$16.84

11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 EC$9.77

$4.45 MX$77.0

-18.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 EC$6.43

$1.38 MX$23.93

72.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 EC$7.16

$1.89 MX$32.72

40.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 EC$3.93

$1.64 MX$28.32

-10.98%

Eggs

$3.78 EC$10.21

$2.51 MX$43.34

50.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$4.14 EC$11.18

$1.46 MX$25.20

183.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 EC$5.92

$1.04 MX$17.99

110.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 EC$4.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.49 EC$14.81

$1.71 MX$29.61

221.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 EC$3.69

$0.51 MX$8.81

168.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,971 EC$8,023

$973 MX$16.8K

205.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 EC$6,416

$468 MX$8,090

408.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,456 EC$9,330

$1,641 MX$28.4K

110.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,017 EC$16.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

52.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for English Harbour: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,971 in English Harbour versus $973 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 $113 in English Harbour versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $150 in English Harbour vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so English Harbour wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

English Harbour vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

English Harbour costs about 105% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,980 per month in English Harbour and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,653 in English Harbour and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 66% cheaper in English Harbour – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in English Harbour at $2,653. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in English Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,653 in English Harbour. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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