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: $996 in Foca versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Foca versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,873 in Foca versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Foca costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foca 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 BAM 8.98

$11.96 MX$202

-55.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.42 BAM 39.33

$47.38 MX$800

-50.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 BAM 7.94

$11.75 MX$198

-59.74%

Cappuccino

$1.59 BAM 2.67

$4.12 MX$69.6

-61.41%

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

$1.38 BAM 2.31

$1.40 MX$23.63

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$0.91 MX$15.40

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 BAM 3.04

$3.21 MX$54.1

-43.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.02

$7.07 MX$119

-66.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.04

$1.68 MX$28.31

-27.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 BAM 1.92

$2.15 MX$36.31

-46.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.77 MX$29.96

-7.91%

Eggs

$2.08 BAM 3.49

$2.82 MX$47.54

-26.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 BAM 11.74

$9.20 MX$155

-24.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 BAM 11.15

$9.23 MX$156

-28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 BAM 17.72

$12.64 MX$213

-16.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$2.95 MX$49.83

-70.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$1.58 MX$26.66

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 BAM 3.89

$2.22 MX$37.53

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.95

$2.36 MX$39.90

-25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BAM 1.78

$1.99 MX$33.65

-46.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 BAM 2.35

$1.98 MX$33.42

-29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BAM 1.99

$1.24 MX$20.94

-4.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 BAM 1.60

$1.21 MX$20.46

-21.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 BAM 6.17

$4.60 MX$77.7

-20.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 BAM 13.95

$10.52 MX$178

-21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

$1.69 MX$28.56

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BAM 1.96

$2.77 MX$46.84

-57.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 BAM 2.28

$0.60 MX$10.17

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 BAM 3.03

$5.24 MX$88.4

-65.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 BAM 0.96

$3.65 MX$61.6

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 BAM 29.43

$5.78 MX$97.7

203.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BAM 2.63

$1.54 MX$25.97

1.95%

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

$31.8K BAM 53.4K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

39.50%

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

$22.2K BAM 37.3K

$25.8K MX$435.8K

-14.06%

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

$163 BAM 273

$90.7 MX$1,531

79.49%

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

$16.91 BAM 28.40

$25.19 MX$425

-32.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.86 BAM 60.2

$31.75 MX$536

12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 BAM 56.8

$68.8 MX$1,162

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 BAM 10.22

$4.86 MX$82.1

25.10%

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

$306 BAM 514

$226 MX$3,811

35.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,664 BAM 6,154

$4,194 MX$70.8K

-12.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 BAM 145

$47.38 MX$800

82.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 BAM 62.0

$43.45 MX$734

-15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 BAM 119

$80.2 MX$1,355

-11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 BAM 249

$91.4 MX$1,543

62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BAM 265

$1,086 MX$18.3K

-85.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 435

$409 MX$6,900

-36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 BAM 903

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 BAM 637

$1,281 MX$21.6K

-70.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,488 BAM 4,179

$4,046 MX$68.3K

-38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,854 BAM 3,113

$6,704 MX$113.2K

-72.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

11.45

-61.22%

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

Last update for Foca: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Foca and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Foca vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $278 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, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,494 in Foca and $1,958 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 $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Foca versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Foca – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $996 in Foca versus $1,305 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.