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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,679 per month in Fuengirola vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,609 per month in Fuengirola vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,539 per month in Fuengirola vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Fuengirola costs about 30% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Fuengirola sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.65 €11.68

$11.94 MX$209

14.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 €54.0

$42.75 MX$748

47.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 €8.76

$10.59 MX$185

-3.40%

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.96

$3.62 MX$63.4

-36.74%

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

$2.47 €2.11

$1.47 MX$25.69

68.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.59

$0.94 MX$16.51

96.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 €2.92

$3.09 MX$54.1

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 €3.76

$4.46 MX$78.0

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.43 MX$24.94

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.88 MX$32.97

-19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.63 MX$28.50

1.23%

Eggs

$2.82 €2.41

$2.64 MX$46.26

6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 €12.98

$8.21 MX$144

84.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 €7.66

$8.29 MX$145

7.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 €15.37

$11.10 MX$194

61.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.10

$2.65 MX$46.40

-7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.50 MX$26.26

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$1.99 MX$34.79

-10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.08 MX$36.33

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.79 MX$31.29

-1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.18 MX$38.09

-13.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.08 MX$18.84

15.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.66

$1.04 MX$18.15

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 €5.54

$3.97 MX$69.5

62.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 €5.13

$10.20 MX$179

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.73 MX$30.22

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.07

$2.50 MX$43.71

-3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.52 MX$9.07

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 €9.93

$26.97 MX$472

-56.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.04

$3.14 MX$55.0

50.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.91

$2.40 MX$42.04

-55.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.84 €21.26

$3.09 MX$54.0

703.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$1.27 MX$22.28

43.31%

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

$39.3K €33.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

27.26%

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

$30.7K €26.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

31.50%

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

$134 €115

$82.0 MX$1,435

63.57%

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

$21.56 €18.46

$22.45 MX$393

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.81 €28.08

$29.66 MX$519

10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 €43.56

$51.9 MX$908

-1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 €24.86

$18.67 MX$327

55.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 €8.41

$4.97 MX$87.0

97.79%

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

$401 €344

$198 MX$3,462

102.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,534 €5,593

$5,273 MX$92.3K

23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.7 €69.1

$36.34 MX$636

122.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 €34.32

$40.05 MX$701

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 €77.5

$79.9 MX$1,398

13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €100.0

$88.9 MX$1,555

31.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 €851

$963 MX$16.9K

3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$777 €665

$465 MX$8,133

67.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 €1,659

$1,596 MX$27.9K

21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 €1,111

$1,209 MX$21.2K

7.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,687 €3,156

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-6.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,778 €2,378

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-56.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,862 €1,594

$720 MX$12.6K

158.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

11.42

-69.70%

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

Last update for Fuengirola: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Fuengirola versus $963 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 158% higher in Fuengirola, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Fuengirola versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,679 in Fuengirola, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 30% apart. Fuengirola costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,518 per month in Fuengirola and $1,930 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $401 per month in Fuengirola and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Fuengirola, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Fuengirola at $1,679. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fuengirola it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,679 in Fuengirola. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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