Cost of Living Comparison Between Flic en Flac and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Flic en Flac and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Flic en Flac versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Flic en Flac versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,563 in Flic en Flac versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Flic en Flac costs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Flic en Flac 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.01 MUR 285
$11.60 MX$199
-48.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.8 MUR 2,509
$47.11 MX$809
12.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 MUR 355
$11.88 MX$204
-37.04%
Cappuccino
$2.68 MUR 127
$3.98 MX$68.2
-32.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 MUR 54.0
$1.43 MX$24.49
-20.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 MUR 29.88
$0.82 MX$14.16
-23.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.64 MUR 125
$3.19 MX$54.7
-17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 MUR 197
$6.79 MX$117
-39.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.42 MUR 67.3
$1.68 MX$28.76
-15.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 MUR 35.16
$2.20 MX$37.71
-66.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 MUR 55.0
$1.71 MX$29.32
-32.16%
Eggs
$1.92 MUR 91.2
$2.74 MX$47.05
-29.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.37 MUR 255
$9.58 MX$164
-43.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.21 MUR 295
$9.01 MX$155
-31.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.49 MUR 546
$12.81 MX$220
-10.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 MUR 89.3
$2.89 MX$49.58
-34.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.68 MUR 127
$1.50 MX$25.70
78.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 MUR 66.8
$2.15 MX$36.87
-34.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.91 MUR 138
$2.26 MX$38.79
28.76%
Potato (1kg)
$0.95 MUR 44.93
$1.98 MX$34.00
-52.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 MUR 48.86
$1.99 MX$34.15
-48.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 MUR 33.52
$1.23 MX$21.18
-42.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 MUR 43.15
$1.20 MX$20.54
-24.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.52 MUR 310
$4.55 MX$78.1
43.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.64 MUR 410
$10.37 MX$178
-16.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 MUR 80.9
$1.62 MX$27.79
4.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 MUR 108
$2.88 MX$49.44
-20.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 MUR 29.73
$0.60 MX$10.30
5.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$28.80 MX$494
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.13 MUR 196
$5.39 MX$92.5
-23.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.11 MUR 148
$3.73 MX$64.0
-16.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.56 MUR 1,024
$5.77 MX$99.0
273.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 MUR 64.1
$1.54 MX$26.37
-12.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K MUR 1.7M
$22.5K MX$387.0K
61.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K MUR 1.5M
$26.1K MX$447.3K
20.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.88 MUR 2,132
$91.4 MX$1,569
-50.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.74 MUR 510
$25.20 MX$433
-57.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.11 MUR 1,383
$31.24 MX$536
-6.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.9 MUR 2,607
$67.2 MX$1,154
-18.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.11 MX$500
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 MUR 259
$4.86 MX$83.5
12.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$126 MUR 5,971
$224 MX$3,839
-43.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,728 MUR 367.1K
$4,229 MX$72.6K
82.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.1 MUR 3,661
$47.10 MX$808
63.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.4 MUR 3,580
$44.29 MX$760
70.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 MUR 5,669
$80.1 MX$1,375
48.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 MUR 3,724
$92.7 MX$1,591
-15.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$569 MUR 27.0K
$1,063 MX$18.2K
-46.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$502 MUR 23.9K
$390 MX$6,698
28.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,024 MUR 48.6K
$2,149 MX$36.9K
-52.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$958 MUR 45.5K
$1,272 MX$21.8K
-24.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,502 MX$111.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Flic en Flac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$699 MUR 33.2K
$758 MX$13.0K
-7.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
11.45
-47.60%

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

Last update for Flic en Flac: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $569 in Flic en Flac and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% 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: $53.0 in Flic en Flac vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $276, with Flic en Flac 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
Flic en Flac vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Flic en Flac or Playa del Carmen?
Flic en Flac wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Flic en Flac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Flic en Flac or in Playa del Carmen?
On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Flic en Flac compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $569 in Flic en Flac versus $1,063 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 Flic en Flac and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $126 in Flic en Flac versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Flic en Flac and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Flic en Flac – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Flic en Flac or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,174 in Flic en Flac versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Flic en Flac but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Flic en Flac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Flic en Flac or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Flic en Flac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,174 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Flic en Flac hard to pass up.
How safe is Flic en Flac compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Flic en Flac 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 Flic en Flac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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