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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,707 in Fuenlabrada versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,986 in Fuenlabrada versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,264 in Fuenlabrada versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fuenlabrada is roughly 28% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fuenlabrada is 25% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.29 €14.79

$13.02 MX$221

32.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 €59.0

$46.25 MX$784

49.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.77

$12.59 MX$213

-9.29%

Cappuccino

$2.12 €1.82

$4.00 MX$67.9

-47.00%

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

$3.43 €2.93

$1.42 MX$24.08

141.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.66

$0.81 MX$13.73

139.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 €3.02

$3.05 MX$51.7

15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €3.99

$6.82 MX$116

-31.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.71 MX$29.04

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 €0.83

$2.22 MX$37.62

-56.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.72 MX$29.13

22.67%

Eggs

$3.86 €3.30

$2.71 MX$45.99

42.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.42 €15.75

$9.37 MX$159

96.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.29 €7.95

$8.86 MX$150

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.11 €18.91

$12.78 MX$217

73.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 €2.38

$3.13 MX$53.0

-10.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.55 MX$26.24

54.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 €2.20

$2.15 MX$36.51

19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 €2.50

$2.35 MX$39.89

24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$2.02 MX$34.23

9.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.89

$1.99 MX$33.67

11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.24 MX$21.09

27.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 €0.43

$1.19 MX$20.21

-57.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 €5.57

$4.65 MX$78.8

40.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 €6.99

$10.47 MX$177

-21.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.58 MX$26.82

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.92 MX$49.48

-23.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.27

$0.56 MX$9.53

166.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 €3.39

$5.32 MX$90.2

-25.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.30

$3.72 MX$63.0

-59.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 €20.55

$5.78 MX$97.9

315.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.55 MX$26.27

14.19%

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

$35.9K €30.7K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

60.59%

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

$29.5K €25.3K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

15.48%

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

$191 €164

$89.3 MX$1,513

114.38%

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

$17.98 €15.38

$23.30 MX$395

-22.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 €29.12

$31.72 MX$538

7.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$9.72 €8.32

$5.06 MX$85.7

92.09%

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

$186 €159

$222 MX$3,765

-16.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,177 €5,284

$4,293 MX$72.7K

43.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 €72.6

$46.21 MX$783

83.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.32 €31.92

$44.43 MX$753

-16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 €71.6

$95.5 MX$1,618

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 €84.9

$92.5 MX$1,568

7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 €642

$393 MX$6,663

90.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 €1,101

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

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)

$1,720 €1,471

$747 MX$12.7K

130.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.14

11.6

-72.93%

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

Last update for Fuenlabrada: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fuenlabrada pays 130% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Fuenlabrada vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 130% higher in Fuenlabrada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Fuenlabrada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,707 per month in Fuenlabrada versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,707 in Fuenlabrada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fuenlabrada. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fuenlabrada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fuenlabrada 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Fuenlabrada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.