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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Foca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Foca versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Foca versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Foca costs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foca 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 BAM 11.83

$11.73 MX$203

-39.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BAM 27.90

$41.62 MX$720

-60.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 BAM 14.89

$10.64 MX$184

-16.73%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BAM 2.80

$3.52 MX$60.9

-52.84%

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

$1.02 BAM 1.72

$1.51 MX$26.12

-32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 BAM 0.93

$0.97 MX$16.84

-43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.49

$2.95 MX$51.0

-29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BAM 4.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

-35.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BAM 1.95

$1.38 MX$23.93

-15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 BAM 1.96

$1.89 MX$32.72

-38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.64 MX$28.32

-0.61%

Eggs

$3.03 BAM 5.08

$2.51 MX$43.34

20.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 BAM 15.76

$8.34 MX$144

12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 BAM 9.03

$8.34 MX$144

-35.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 BAM 20.55

$10.73 MX$186

13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 BAM 1.54

$2.60 MX$45.04

-65.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.46 MX$25.20

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$1.90 MX$32.87

2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.27

$2.08 MX$35.91

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 1.99

$1.78 MX$30.71

-33.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.04 MX$17.99

17.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.21

$1.08 MX$18.62

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BAM 6.24

$4.08 MX$70.6

-9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 BAM 13.91

$10.32 MX$178

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BAM 1.20

$1.71 MX$29.61

-57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 BAM 1.89

$2.58 MX$44.54

-56.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 BAM 2.94

$0.51 MX$8.81

243.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BAM 58.5

$26.46 MX$458

31.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$3.26 MX$56.4

-55.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.94

$2.49 MX$43.09

-77.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.26

$3.25 MX$56.2

179.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$1.31 MX$22.61

17.56%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-4.04%

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

$27.1K BAM 45.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

15.88%

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

$174 BAM 292

$82.9 MX$1,433

109.79%

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

$18.69 BAM 31.41

$22.22 MX$384

-15.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.44 BAM 39.39

$29.34 MX$507

-20.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.98

$51.6 MX$893

-42.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.01 BAM 18.49

$18.32 MX$317

-39.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 BAM 7.88

$5.07 MX$87.6

-7.50%

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

$238 BAM 400

$201 MX$3,473

18.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,653 BAM 6,137

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-29.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 BAM 127

$36.92 MX$639

104.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 BAM 62.0

$39.79 MX$688

-7.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 BAM 121

$78.5 MX$1,357

-8.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 207

$87.1 MX$1,506

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BAM 265

$973 MX$16.8K

-83.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 BAM 287

$468 MX$8,090

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 BAM 612

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-77.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 BAM 531

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-74.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 BAM 4,286

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-35.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,858 BAM 3,122

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-71.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

11.42

-56.04%

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

Last update for Foca: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Foca and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Foca vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $249 per month, with Foca 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

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

Foca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,418 in Foca and $1,945 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: $158 in Foca versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $238 in Foca versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $946 in Foca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Foca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Foca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Foca 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 Foca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.