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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Geelong versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,084 in Geelong versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,800 in Geelong versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Geelong is roughly 83% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Geelong is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.43 A$23.03

$11.73 MX$203

40.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 A$109

$41.62 MX$721

86.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 A$13.33

$10.64 MX$184

-10.62%

Cappuccino

$3.26 A$4.57

$3.52 MX$61.0

-7.39%

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

$2.60 A$3.64

$1.51 MX$26.17

72.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 A$3.04

$0.97 MX$16.87

123.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 A$8.57

$2.95 MX$51.1

107.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$6.86

$4.45 MX$77.2

10.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 A$2.04

$1.38 MX$23.97

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 A$3.07

$1.89 MX$32.78

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 A$1.24

$1.64 MX$28.37

-46.34%

Eggs

$2.77 A$3.88

$2.51 MX$43.42

10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 A$10.63

$8.34 MX$145

-9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 A$13.30

$8.34 MX$145

13.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 A$20.70

$10.73 MX$186

37.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 A$4.02

$2.60 MX$45.12

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 A$3.90

$1.46 MX$25.25

90.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.07

$1.90 MX$32.94

52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.20

$2.08 MX$35.98

9.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.43

$1.78 MX$30.77

37.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 A$2.87

$2.19 MX$37.87

-6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 A$2.17

$1.04 MX$18.02

49.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.32

$1.08 MX$18.66

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.34 A$43.92

$4.08 MX$70.7

668.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 A$19.32

$10.32 MX$179

33.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 A$5.00

$1.71 MX$29.67

108.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.22

$2.58 MX$44.63

16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.82 A$9.56

$0.51 MX$8.83

1237.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$117 A$164

$26.46 MX$459

343.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 A$4.97

$3.26 MX$56.5

8.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 A$1.97

$2.49 MX$43.17

-43.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.60 A$38.68

$3.25 MX$56.3

749.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.16%

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

$28.6K A$40.1K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-5.57%

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

$23.1K A$32.3K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-1.53%

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

$140 A$196

$82.9 MX$1,436

68.36%

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

$20.80 A$29.14

$22.22 MX$385

-6.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 A$70.9

$29.34 MX$508

72.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 A$73.8

$51.6 MX$895

2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 A$20.13

$18.32 MX$317

-21.62%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 A$16.46

$5.07 MX$87.8

131.76%

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

$1,748 A$2,449

$201 MX$3,480

770.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K A$27.2K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

272.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 A$94.3

$36.92 MX$640

82.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 A$61.7

$39.79 MX$689

10.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$142

$78.5 MX$1,360

28.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 A$125

$87.1 MX$1,509

2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 A$2,087

$973 MX$16.9K

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 A$1,731

$468 MX$8,105

164.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 A$1,694

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 A$1,717

$1,221 MX$21.2K

0.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,740 A$9,444

$3,946 MX$68.4K

70.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,423 A$7,598

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-16.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,163 A$4,432

$664 MX$11.5K

376.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

11.42

-45.80%

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

Last update for Geelong: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Geelong and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Geelong pays 376% 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: $78.0 in Geelong vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $249 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

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

Geelong and Playa del Carmen differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Geelong pays 376% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,489 in Geelong versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,367 per month in Geelong versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 343% less than in Geelong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,367 in Geelong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Geelong. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Geelong 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 83% less than in Geelong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.