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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,913 in Fajardo versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,167 in Fajardo versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,422 in Fajardo versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fajardo is roughly 48% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fajardo is 43% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 $9.81

$11.73 MX$202

-16.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$41.78 MX$719

93.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 $9.76

$10.41 MX$179

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$3.69 $3.69

$3.61 MX$62.1

2.22%

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

$1.76 $1.76

$1.46 MX$25.06

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.97 MX$16.70

47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.92 MX$50.3

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.62 MX$79.5

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.43 MX$24.59

70.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.90 MX$32.70

67.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.57 MX$26.95

43.95%

Eggs

$5.82 $5.82

$2.64 MX$45.34

120.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$8.44 MX$145

-40.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$8.58 MX$148

-2.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$11.00 MX$189

17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.70 MX$46.51

120.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.51 MX$25.92

81.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.91 MX$32.93

106.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.17 MX$37.37

88.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.87 MX$32.25

108.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.23 MX$38.43

34.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.08 MX$18.60

187.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.07 MX$18.47

84.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 $11.36

$4.16 MX$71.6

173.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 $10.01

$10.29 MX$177

-2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.68 MX$28.95

47.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.53 MX$43.59

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.46 MX$42.37

-40.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 $14.75

$3.20 MX$55.0

360.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.32 MX$22.72

-32.58%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

19.61%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

15.96%

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

$343 $343

$81.4 MX$1,400

321.93%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$22.41 MX$386

247.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$29.97 MX$516

130.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.6 $99.6

$51.6 MX$887

93.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$5.16 MX$88.9

130.04%

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

$470 $470

$202 MX$3,471

132.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

94.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.16 $46.16

$35.61 MX$613

29.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 $55.3

$40.37 MX$695

36.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$78.6 MX$1,353

13.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$86.9 MX$1,495

22.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 $737

$950 MX$16.3K

-22.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 $594

$478 MX$8,227

24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,223 MX$21.0K

31.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.42

-51.84%

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

Last update for Fajardo: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Fajardo and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Fajardo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $254 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Fajardo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,869 in Fajardo and $1,941 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: $737 in Fajardo versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Fajardo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,913 per month in Fajardo versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,913 in Fajardo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fajardo. 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 $1,294 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Fajardo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.