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: $921 in Foca versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,387 in Foca versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,853 in Foca versus $3,017 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 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 BAM 11.96

$11.99 MX$209

-41.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.76 BAM 28.70

$41.78 MX$728

-59.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.97 BAM 15.37

$10.75 MX$187

-16.56%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$3.50 MX$60.9

-55.14%

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

$0.98 BAM 1.68

$1.45 MX$25.22

-32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$0.88 MX$15.41

-35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.44

$2.95 MX$51.3

-31.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 BAM 4.77

$4.51 MX$78.6

-38.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$1.43 MX$24.94

-16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.84 MX$31.99

-35.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.96 BAM 5.06

$2.51 MX$43.74

17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.44

$8.28 MX$144

15.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 BAM 8.97

$8.43 MX$147

-37.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 BAM 20.42

$10.68 MX$186

11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$2.61 MX$45.43

-67.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.83

$1.44 MX$25.04

14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.96 MX$34.16

-5.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.34

$2.09 MX$36.47

-6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.85 MX$32.24

-35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.24

$2.17 MX$37.74

-39.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.09

$1.03 MX$17.96

18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$1.07 MX$18.70

-28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BAM 6.30

$4.10 MX$71.4

-10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.47 BAM 14.51

$10.17 MX$177

-16.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BAM 1.19

$1.68 MX$29.17

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$2.53 MX$43.98

-57.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.16

$0.51 MX$8.87

262.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 61.4

$26.04 MX$453

37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$3.23 MX$56.3

-54.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BAM 0.90

$2.41 MX$41.88

-78.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 BAM 15.52

$3.23 MX$56.2

180.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$1.32 MX$23.00

15.15%

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

$28.3K BAM 48.4K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-4.82%

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

$27.0K BAM 46.2K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

13.96%

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

$169 BAM 289

$82.0 MX$1,428

105.88%

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

$19.25 BAM 32.98

$22.95 MX$400

-16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.25 BAM 39.82

$30.11 MX$524

-22.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.29 BAM 50.2

$52.0 MX$905

-43.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 BAM 18.56

$18.53 MX$323

-41.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 BAM 7.87

$4.98 MX$86.6

-7.83%

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

$237 BAM 405

$197 MX$3,438

19.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,714 BAM 6,360

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-30.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 BAM 129

$35.60 MX$620

112.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 BAM 63.7

$40.33 MX$702

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 BAM 119

$78.8 MX$1,371

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 BAM 208

$88.9 MX$1,549

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 BAM 269

$947 MX$16.5K

-83.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 BAM 295

$474 MX$8,254

-63.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 617

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-78.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 547

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-73.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 BAM 4,358

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-37.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 BAM 3,014

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-72.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Foca and $947 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 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,382 in Foca and $1,884 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: $157 in Foca versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $237 in Foca versus $197 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 $921 in Foca versus $1,256 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 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.