Cost of Living Comparison Between Epping and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Epping and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,173 in Epping versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,507 in Epping versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,841 in Epping versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Epping is roughly 68% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Epping is 62% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 A$22.93

$11.73 MX$203

40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 A$80.1

$41.62 MX$720

38.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 A$14.79

$10.64 MX$184

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$3.01 A$4.19

$3.52 MX$60.9

-14.49%

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

$2.23 A$3.10

$1.51 MX$26.12

47.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 A$3.05

$0.97 MX$16.84

125.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 A$10.24

$2.95 MX$51.0

149.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 A$10.54

$4.45 MX$77.0

70.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 A$2.60

$1.38 MX$23.93

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 A$3.65

$1.89 MX$32.72

38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 A$3.47

$1.64 MX$28.32

51.83%

Eggs

$5.15 A$7.18

$2.51 MX$43.34

105.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 A$12.97

$8.34 MX$144

11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 A$14.97

$8.34 MX$144

28.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.38 A$20.04

$10.73 MX$186

34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 A$4.80

$2.60 MX$45.04

32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.65

$1.46 MX$25.20

79.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.21

$1.90 MX$32.87

21.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.48

$2.08 MX$35.91

54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 A$4.15

$1.78 MX$30.71

67.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 A$3.05

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 A$2.55

$1.04 MX$17.99

75.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 A$2.58

$1.08 MX$18.62

71.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.77 A$35.91

$4.08 MX$70.6

531.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 A$12.07

$10.32 MX$178

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 A$5.80

$1.71 MX$29.61

143.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 A$6.37

$2.58 MX$44.54

77.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 A$4.41

$0.51 MX$8.81

521.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 A$90.0

$26.46 MX$458

144.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 A$4.90

$3.26 MX$56.4

7.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 A$1.38

$2.49 MX$43.09

-60.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.12 A$47.55

$3.25 MX$56.2

949.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.91

$1.31 MX$22.61

4.58%

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

$19.7K A$27.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-34.95%

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

$17.0K A$23.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-27.27%

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

$129 A$180

$82.9 MX$1,433

55.71%

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

$29.03 A$40.46

$22.22 MX$384

30.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.74 A$61.0

$29.34 MX$507

49.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.35 A$67.4

$51.6 MX$893

-6.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.67 A$21.84

$18.32 MX$317

-14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 A$17.80

$5.07 MX$87.6

151.87%

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

$1,695 A$2,362

$201 MX$3,473

744.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

133.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 A$81.2

$36.92 MX$639

57.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.85 A$63.9

$39.79 MX$688

15.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$143

$78.5 MX$1,357

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$87.1 MX$1,506

20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 A$1,779

$973 MX$16.8K

31.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 A$1,467

$468 MX$8,090

125.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,570 A$3,582

$1,641 MX$28.4K

56.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,372 A$3,306

$1,221 MX$21.1K

94.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,668 A$7,898

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-12.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,283 A$5,969

$664 MX$11.5K

545.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.42

-44.48%

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

Last update for Epping: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in Epping and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Epping pays 545% 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: $57.0 in Epping vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Epping. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Epping pays 545% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,276 in Epping versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $57.0 in Epping. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,173 per month in Epping versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,173 in Epping, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Epping. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Epping 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Epping. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.