🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Flacq versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Flacq versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in Flacq versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Flacq costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Flacq24% lower, Playa del Carmen3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.26MUR 296
$11.73MX$203
-46.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80MUR 2,069
$41.62MX$720
5.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.78MUR 320
$10.64MX$184
-36.28%
Cappuccino
$2.60MUR 123
$3.52MX$60.9
-26.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02MUR 48.43
$1.51MX$26.12
-32.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58MUR 27.53
$0.97MX$16.84
-40.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.43MUR 67.8
$2.95MX$51.0
-51.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65MUR 125
$4.45MX$77.0
-40.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.51MUR 71.2
$1.38MX$23.93
9.42%
White Bread(500g)
$0.65MUR 30.81
$1.89MX$32.72
-65.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32MUR 62.3
$1.64MX$28.32
-19.51%
Eggs
$2.73MUR 129
$2.51MX$43.34
8.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.70MUR 458
$8.34MX$144
16.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.11MUR 289
$8.34MX$144
-26.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.35MUR 489
$10.73MX$186
-3.54%
Apples(1kg)
$1.98MUR 93.4
$2.60MX$45.04
-23.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.93MUR 91.3
$1.46MX$25.20
32.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46MUR 68.8
$1.90MX$32.87
-23.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.72MUR 129
$2.08MX$35.91
30.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.03MUR 48.55
$1.78MX$30.71
-42.13%
Onion(1kg)
$0.95MUR 44.89
$2.19MX$37.80
-56.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.83MUR 39.37
$1.04MX$17.99
-20.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57MUR 27.11
$1.08MX$18.62
-47.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.06MUR 286
$4.08MX$70.6
48.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.45MUR 399
$10.32MX$178
-18.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79MUR 84.4
$1.71MX$29.61
4.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13MUR 100
$2.58MX$44.54
-17.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.99MUR 46.96
$0.51MX$8.81
94.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.63MUR 1,589
$26.46MX$458
27.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.31MUR 204
$3.26MX$56.4
32.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.73MUR 129
$2.49MX$43.09
9.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.14MUR 716
$3.25MX$56.2
365.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.41MUR 66.6
$1.31MX$22.61
7.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KMUR 1.7M
$30.3KMX$523.7K
19.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3KMUR 1.4M
$23.4KMX$405.3K
24.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.4MUR 2,379
$82.9MX$1,433
-39.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.19MUR 859
$22.22MX$384
-18.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.29MUR 1,526
$29.34MX$507
10.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.21MUR 1,805
$51.6MX$893
-25.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.13MUR 290
$5.07MX$87.6
20.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$151MUR 7,146
$201MX$3,473
-24.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,889MUR 183.8K
$5,212MX$90.1K
-25.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.4MUR 2,427
$36.92MX$639
39.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.41MUR 2,051
$39.79MX$688
9.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.5MUR 3,943
$78.5MX$1,357
6.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9MUR 3,728
$87.1MX$1,506
-9.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$508MUR 24.0K
$973MX$16.8K
-47.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$353MUR 16.7K
$468MX$8,090
-24.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$953MUR 45.1K
$1,641MX$28.4K
-41.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$710MUR 33.5K
$1,221MX$21.1K
-41.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,946MX$68.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,498MX$112.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Flacq
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,139MUR 53.8K
$664MX$11.5K
71.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.25
11.42
-45.27%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Flacq: June 1, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Flacq and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Flacq pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $44.00 in Flacq vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $249, with Flacq cheaper for home cooking.
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
Flacq vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Flacq or Playa del Carmen?
Flacq wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Flacq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Flacq or Playa del Carmen?
Flacq pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Flacq vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Flacq versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Flacq and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $151 in Flacq versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Flacq or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Flacq or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,024 in Flacq versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Flacq but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Flacq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Flacq or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Flacq delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,024 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Flacq hard to pass up.
How safe is Flacq compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Flacq 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Flacq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.