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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,049 per month in Fourways vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,616 per month in Fourways vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Fourways vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fourways is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fourways and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Fourways 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.33 R 150

$13.02 MX$221

-28.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.46 R 636

$46.25 MX$784

-14.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 R 90.4

$12.59 MX$213

-55.44%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R 36.74

$4.00 MX$67.9

-43.00%

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

$1.12 R 18.05

$1.42 MX$24.08

-21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.34

$0.81 MX$13.73

9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.20

$3.05 MX$51.7

-20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 R 44.21

$6.82 MX$116

-59.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.51

$1.71 MX$29.04

-25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 R 17.81

$2.22 MX$37.62

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.43

$1.72 MX$29.13

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.56 R 41.25

$2.71 MX$45.99

-5.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R 124

$9.37 MX$159

-17.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 73.5

$8.86 MX$150

-48.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 R 122

$12.78 MX$217

-40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 R 23.86

$3.13 MX$53.0

-52.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.68

$1.55 MX$26.24

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.63

$2.15 MX$36.51

-17.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.85

$2.35 MX$39.89

-31.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R 20.79

$2.02 MX$34.23

-36.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.52

$1.99 MX$33.67

-36.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 R 19.31

$1.24 MX$21.09

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 R 17.31

$1.19 MX$20.21

-10.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 R 55.2

$4.65 MX$78.8

-26.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 R 85.7

$10.47 MX$177

-49.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 R 24.77

$1.58 MX$26.82

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 R 31.60

$2.92 MX$49.48

-32.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 R 4.74

$5.32 MX$90.2

-94.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.38

$3.72 MX$63.0

-79.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.05 R 242

$5.78 MX$97.9

160.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 R 24.58

$1.55 MX$26.27

-1.29%

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

$29.5K R 474.4K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

31.67%

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

$27.4K R 441.3K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

7.15%

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

$88.8 R 1,431

$89.3 MX$1,513

-0.49%

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

$37.63 R 606

$23.30 MX$395

61.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.93 R 611

$31.72 MX$538

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.44 R 523

$68.8 MX$1,165

-52.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 R 269

$29.40 MX$498

-43.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 R 122

$5.06 MX$85.7

49.41%

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

$269 R 4,335

$222 MX$3,765

21.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,880 R 126.9K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

83.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 R 891

$46.21 MX$783

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.79 R 528

$44.43 MX$753

-26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 R 1,296

$95.5 MX$1,618

-15.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 R 1,382

$92.5 MX$1,568

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 R 6,369

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-63.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,443

$393 MX$6,663

1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 R 12.3K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-61.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.6K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-44.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,638 R 26.4K

$747 MX$12.7K

119.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.6

-2.24%

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

Last update for Fourways: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $395 in Fourways versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 119% higher in Fourways, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Fourways versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $277 – making Fourways the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 27% more than Fourways, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,573 per month in Fourways and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fourways, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Fourways and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fourways, where all-in costs run around $1,049, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Fourways it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fourways costs $1,049 versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fourways. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.