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: $4,824 in George Town versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,348 in George Town versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,872 in George Town versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in George Town is roughly 273% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 251% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.84 KYD 24.47

$11.71 MX$199

154.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 KYD 94.6

$46.59 MX$791

147.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 KYD 13.57

$11.65 MX$198

41.97%

Cappuccino

$7.07 KYD 5.80

$4.09 MX$69.5

72.86%

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

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$1.37 MX$23.34

122.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KYD 2.28

$0.83 MX$14.16

236.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 KYD 5.96

$3.35 MX$56.9

117.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 KYD 7.94

$6.91 MX$117

40.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$1.73 MX$29.33

168.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 KYD 3.55

$2.26 MX$38.39

91.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 KYD 3.60

$1.77 MX$30.05

148.02%

Eggs

$7.46 KYD 6.12

$2.73 MX$46.41

173.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$55.0 KYD 45.06

$9.18 MX$156

498.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.25 KYD 15.79

$8.92 MX$151

115.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.72 KYD 16.17

$12.60 MX$214

56.51%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$3.02 MX$51.3

145.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 KYD 3.02

$1.57 MX$26.68

134.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 KYD 4.99

$2.13 MX$36.10

185.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.88 KYD 6.46

$2.26 MX$38.46

248.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 KYD 3.39

$2.00 MX$34.04

107.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 KYD 3.26

$2.06 MX$35.06

93.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 KYD 2.62

$1.18 MX$20.04

170.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 KYD 1.78

$1.20 MX$20.45

80.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 KYD 11.83

$4.63 MX$78.7

211.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.24 KYD 20.69

$10.69 MX$182

136.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 KYD 3.40

$1.62 MX$27.50

155.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 KYD 4.66

$2.88 MX$48.93

97.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 KYD 1.91

$0.57 MX$9.74

308.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 KYD 66.9

$29.83 MX$507

173.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.57 KYD 15.23

$5.45 MX$92.5

240.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 KYD 3.19

$3.70 MX$62.9

5.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.79 KYD 36.73

$5.98 MX$102

649.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 KYD 1.35

$1.55 MX$26.38

5.81%

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

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

90.15%

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

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

62.99%

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

$458 KYD 376

$89.1 MX$1,514

413.98%

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

$120 KYD 98.5

$25.04 MX$425

379.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$115 KYD 94.1

$31.50 MX$535

264.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$219 KYD 179

$67.8 MX$1,151

222.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 KYD 29.01

$28.92 MX$491

22.34%

Cinema Ticket

$18.45 KYD 15.13

$5.05 MX$85.8

265.35%

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

$1,832 KYD 1,502

$225 MX$3,820

714.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

527.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 KYD 69.6

$47.44 MX$806

78.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 KYD 60.6

$44.98 MX$764

64.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 KYD 112

$82.0 MX$1,392

66.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 KYD 117

$92.1 MX$1,564

55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 KYD 2,385

$1,069 MX$18.2K

172.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 KYD 2,003

$405 MX$6,884

502.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,779 KYD 4,739

$1,935 MX$32.9K

198.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,770 KYD 3,911

$1,301 MX$22.1K

266.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,648 KYD 7,092

$3,995 MX$67.9K

116.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 KYD 1,892

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-65.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,390 KYD 6,060

$749 MX$12.7K

887.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-30.13%

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

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,909 in George Town and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 887% 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: $115 in George Town vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $722 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

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

George Town and Playa del Carmen differ by about 273% in total monthly costs ($4,824 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 887% 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: $2,909 in George Town versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,824 per month in George Town versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 273% 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 173% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,824 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 273% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.