Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuengirola and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,702 in Fuengirola, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fuengirola outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Fuengirola, Spain
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Fuengirola
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,702
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fuengirola and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fuengirola and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,702 per month in Fuengirola vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Fuengirola $1,702
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,554 per month in Fuengirola vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Fuengirola $2,554
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,407 per month in Fuengirola vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Fuengirola $3,407
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Fuengirola costs about 41% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Fuengirola sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.83 €14.18
$10.92 MX$205
44.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €61.0
$43.37 MX$814
57.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.01 €8.96
$11.78 MX$221
-15.03%
Cappuccino
$2.68 €2.40
$3.81 MX$71.5
-29.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 €2.18
$1.28 MX$24.07
89.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.78
$0.78 MX$14.70
155.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.38 €3.03
$3.17 MX$59.5
6.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 €3.90
$4.93 MX$92.7
-11.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.09
$1.41 MX$26.40
-13.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 €1.34
$2.22 MX$41.62
-32.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.42 MX$26.61
4.93%
Eggs
$2.89 €2.59
$2.52 MX$47.36
14.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.64 €14.01
$7.26 MX$136
115.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 €7.04
$7.70 MX$144
2.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 €10.72
$12.69 MX$238
-5.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 €2.08
$2.78 MX$52.3
-16.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 €1.76
$1.37 MX$25.68
43.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 €1.50
$2.55 MX$47.89
-34.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 €2.19
$2.12 MX$39.86
15.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.60 €1.43
$1.94 MX$36.39
-17.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 €1.42
$1.89 MX$35.41
-16.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 €1.09
$1.15 MX$21.53
5.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 €0.61
$1.18 MX$22.13
-42.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.67 €5.08
$4.30 MX$80.6
31.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.91 €6.19
$9.95 MX$187
-30.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 €0.92
$1.58 MX$29.73
-34.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.39
$2.67 MX$50.1
-41.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.20 €1.97
$0.55 MX$10.39
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.24 €10.07
$26.62 MX$500
-57.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.85 €1.66
$4.97 MX$93.3
-62.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.23 €1.10
$3.33 MX$62.5
-63.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.06 €19.76
$5.36 MX$101
311.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 €1.56
$1.44 MX$27.11
21.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.2K
$20.7K MX$388.0K
63.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.3K €27.1K
$23.5K MX$440.5K
29.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 €145
$84.8 MX$1,592
91.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.57 €9.47
$23.41 MX$439
-54.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.68 €22.11
$28.66 MX$538
-13.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.57 €40.81
$57.1 MX$1,071
-20.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.31 €29.84
$28.91 MX$543
15.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.43 €8.44
$5.14 MX$96.5
83.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$383 €343
$207 MX$3,878
85.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.0K €8,978
$3,927 MX$73.7K
155.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.2 €55.7
$43.35 MX$814
43.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.46 €31.76
$41.44 MX$778
-14.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.2 €63.8
$74.2 MX$1,393
-4.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.1 €72.6
$89.3 MX$1,676
-9.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 €951
$980 MX$18.4K
8.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$815 €730
$381 MX$7,150
113.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,760 €1,576
$1,708 MX$32.1K
3.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,321 €1,183
$1,075 MX$20.2K
22.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,565 €3,193
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-9.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,700 €2,418
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-56.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fuengirola
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,753 €1,570
$735 MX$13.8K
138.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
11.45
-71.18%

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

Last update for Fuengirola: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fuengirola
$815
Playa del Carmen
$381 53.3% $434
Groceries & Markets
Fuengirola
$252
Playa del Carmen
$255 1% $2.6
Eating Out
Fuengirola
$232
Playa del Carmen
$202 12.8% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fuengirola
$197
Playa del Carmen
$137 30.7% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Fuengirola
$112
Playa del Carmen
$112 0.7% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Fuengirola
$64
Playa del Carmen
$67 4.5% $2.9
Getting Around
Fuengirola
$28
Playa del Carmen
$50 79.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Fuengirola versus $980 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 in Fuengirola are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Fuengirola versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Fuengirola vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Fuengirola wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Fuengirola
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
08:14 8:14 AM
02:14 2:14 AM
6 h behind Fuengirola
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,598
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fuengirola Playa del Carmen 8,010 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fuengirola
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Fuengirola vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Fuengirola and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,702 in Fuengirola, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Fuengirola compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Fuengirola and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Fuengirola and in Playa del Carmen?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,062 in Fuengirola and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city is more expensive overall: Fuengirola or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,702 in Fuengirola and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 29% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Fuengirola and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $383 per month in Fuengirola and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Fuengirola at $1,702. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fuengirola it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Fuengirola or Playa del Carmen?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Fuengirola and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fuengirola makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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