Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,618 in George Town versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,071 in George Town versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,524 in George Town versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in George Town is roughly 268% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 246% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 KYD 25.13

$11.99 MX$210

155.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$41.78 MX$731

244.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 KYD 13.07

$10.75 MX$188

48.28%

Cappuccino

$6.90 KYD 5.65

$3.50 MX$61.1

97.14%

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

$3.36 KYD 2.76

$1.45 MX$25.33

131.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.88 MX$15.47

209.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 KYD 7.60

$2.95 MX$51.6

214.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 KYD 6.71

$4.51 MX$78.9

81.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 KYD 2.48

$1.43 MX$25.04

111.19%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$1.84 MX$32.13

188.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.75 KYD 4.72

$1.57 MX$27.42

266.24%

Eggs

$9.84 KYD 8.07

$2.51 MX$43.92

292.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KYD 9.60

$8.28 MX$145

41.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 KYD 13.13

$8.43 MX$147

89.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 KYD 13.32

$10.68 MX$187

52.06%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 KYD 8.75

$2.61 MX$45.62

308.81%

Banana (1kg)

$4.66 KYD 3.82

$1.44 MX$25.15

223.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 KYD 6.49

$1.96 MX$34.31

303.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 KYD 6.27

$2.09 MX$36.62

265.55%

Potato (1kg)

$5.34 KYD 4.38

$1.85 MX$32.37

188.65%

Onion (1kg)

$5.50 KYD 4.51

$2.17 MX$37.90

153.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 KYD 5.00

$1.03 MX$18.04

491.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 KYD 2.46

$1.07 MX$18.78

180.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 KYD 11.98

$4.10 MX$71.7

256.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.67 KYD 21.05

$10.17 MX$178

152.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 KYD 3.21

$1.68 MX$29.29

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 KYD 4.23

$2.53 MX$44.17

103.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 KYD 2.01

$0.51 MX$8.90

380.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.28 KYD 24.83

$26.04 MX$455

16.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 KYD 14.99

$3.23 MX$56.5

465.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 KYD 3.95

$2.41 MX$42.06

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 KYD 48.69

$3.23 MX$56.5

1738.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 KYD 1.40

$1.32 MX$23.10

29.55%

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

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

31.97%

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

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

43.76%

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

$385 KYD 316

$82.0 MX$1,434

369.89%

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

$97.8 KYD 80.2

$22.95 MX$401

325.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 90.4

$30.11 MX$527

266.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 KYD 86.9

$52.0 MX$909

103.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 KYD 33.11

$18.53 MX$324

117.92%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 KYD 14.90

$4.98 MX$87.0

264.86%

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

$1,744 KYD 1,430

$197 MX$3,452

783.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

355.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 KYD 75.2

$35.60 MX$622

157.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 KYD 58.1

$40.33 MX$705

75.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 KYD 121

$78.8 MX$1,377

86.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$88.9 MX$1,555

67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 KYD 2,301

$947 MX$16.6K

196.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 KYD 2,038

$474 MX$8,288

424.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 KYD 4,557

$1,644 MX$28.7K

238.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,697 KYD 3,851

$1,211 MX$21.2K

287.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,809 KYD 7,223

$4,056 MX$70.9K

117.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 KYD 1,889

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-64.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,125 KYD 5,842

$654 MX$11.4K

989.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

11.42

-27.76%

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

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,806 in George Town and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 990% 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: $144 in George Town vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $629 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

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

George Town and Playa del Carmen differ by about 268% in total monthly costs ($4,618 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 990% higher in George Town, 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: $2,806 in George Town versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,618 per month in George Town versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 268% 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 16% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,618 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in George Town. 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, George Town 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 268% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.