😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,450 in Ennis versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,427 in Ennis versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Ennis versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Ennis is roughly 90% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ennis is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.15€14.68
$11.94MX$209
43.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.5€74.1
$42.75MX$748
102.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.42€9.77
$10.59MX$185
7.84%
Cappuccino
$4.03€3.45
$3.62MX$63.4
11.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43€2.08
$1.47MX$25.69
65.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60€1.37
$0.94MX$16.51
70.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.57€5.62
$3.09MX$54.1
112.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.82€5.84
$4.46MX$78.0
52.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38€1.18
$1.43MX$24.94
-3.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.02€1.73
$1.88MX$32.97
7.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.69€1.45
$1.63MX$28.50
3.68%
Eggs
$4.35€3.72
$2.64MX$46.26
64.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.01€6.00
$8.21MX$144
-14.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.70€10.01
$8.29MX$145
41.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.11€12.94
$11.10MX$194
36.13%
Apples(1kg)
$1.14€0.97
$2.65MX$46.40
-56.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69€1.45
$1.50MX$26.26
12.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.68€3.15
$1.99MX$34.79
84.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.53€4.73
$2.08MX$36.33
165.87%
Potato(1kg)
$2.77€2.37
$1.79MX$31.29
54.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.13€1.82
$2.18MX$38.09
-2.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.61€1.38
$1.08MX$18.84
49.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.01
$1.04MX$18.15
13.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.46€14.95
$3.97MX$69.5
339.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.18€12.14
$10.20MX$179
39.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.86€3.31
$1.73MX$30.22
123.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77€3.22
$2.50MX$43.71
50.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.93€2.51
$0.52MX$9.07
463.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$57.0€48.78
$26.97MX$472
111.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24€4.49
$3.14MX$55.0
66.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13€1.82
$2.40MX$42.04
-11.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.91€30.74
$3.09MX$54.0
1062.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.01€1.72
$1.27MX$22.28
58.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K€33.4K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
26.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K€24.0K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
20.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$247€212
$82.0MX$1,435
201.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.08€14.62
$22.45MX$393
-23.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.84€33.24
$29.66MX$519
30.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$64.6€55.3
$51.9MX$908
24.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$327
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.13€12.10
$4.97MX$87.0
184.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,351€1,157
$198MX$3,462
583.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,398€6,333
$5,273MX$92.3K
40.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105€89.6
$36.34MX$636
188.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.26€42.17
$40.05MX$701
23.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100€85.8
$79.9MX$1,398
25.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115€98.5
$88.9MX$1,555
29.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,335€1,143
$963MX$16.9K
38.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,172€1,003
$465MX$8,133
152.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,282€1,953
$1,596MX$27.9K
42.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,550€1,327
$1,209MX$21.2K
28.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585€3,069
$3,942MX$69.0K
-9.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ennis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,795€3,248
$720MX$12.6K
426.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.6
11.42
-59.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ennis: April 25, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,335 in Ennis and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ennis pays 427% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $87.0 in Ennis vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 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
Ennis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Ennis?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ennis or Playa del Carmen?
Ennis pays 427% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Ennis and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,335 in Ennis versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Ennis and Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Ennis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Ennis or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $87.0 in Ennis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ennis or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,450 in Ennis, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ennis. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ennis or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ennis, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ennis or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Ennis and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Ennis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.