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: $4,602 in George Town versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,054 in George Town versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,505 in George Town versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in George Town is roughly 255% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 243% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.62 KYD 25.11

$11.73 MX$203

161.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$41.62 MX$720

246.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.85 KYD 13.00

$10.64 MX$184

48.97%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.66

$3.52 MX$60.9

96.31%

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

$3.52 KYD 2.88

$1.51 MX$26.12

133.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$0.97 MX$16.84

180.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 KYD 7.42

$2.95 MX$51.0

206.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 KYD 7.05

$4.45 MX$77.0

93.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$1.38 MX$23.93

121.01%

White Bread (500g)

$5.26 KYD 4.32

$1.89 MX$32.72

178.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.83 KYD 4.78

$1.64 MX$28.32

255.49%

Eggs

$9.98 KYD 8.19

$2.51 MX$43.34

297.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 KYD 9.70

$8.34 MX$144

41.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.84 KYD 12.99

$8.34 MX$144

89.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 KYD 13.37

$10.73 MX$186

51.91%

Apples (1kg)

$10.46 KYD 8.58

$2.60 MX$45.04

302.31%

Banana (1kg)

$4.55 KYD 3.73

$1.46 MX$25.20

211.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 KYD 6.41

$1.90 MX$32.87

311.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.78 KYD 6.38

$2.08 MX$35.91

274.04%

Potato (1kg)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$1.78 MX$30.71

197.75%

Onion (1kg)

$5.41 KYD 4.44

$2.19 MX$37.80

147.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.37 KYD 5.22

$1.04 MX$17.99

512.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 KYD 2.39

$1.08 MX$18.62

170.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 KYD 11.82

$4.08 MX$70.6

253.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 KYD 20.54

$10.32 MX$178

142.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 KYD 3.30

$1.71 MX$29.61

135.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 KYD 4.25

$2.58 MX$44.54

100.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 KYD 1.96

$0.51 MX$8.81

368.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 KYD 25.01

$26.46 MX$458

15.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.37 KYD 15.06

$3.26 MX$56.4

463.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.89 KYD 4.01

$2.49 MX$43.09

96.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 KYD 49.65

$3.25 MX$56.2

1763.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 KYD 1.44

$1.31 MX$22.61

34.35%

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

$39.3K KYD 32.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

29.82%

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

$33.7K KYD 27.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

43.87%

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

$398 KYD 326

$82.9 MX$1,433

379.93%

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

$97.7 KYD 80.1

$22.22 MX$384

339.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 KYD 89.0

$29.34 MX$507

269.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 KYD 86.0

$51.6 MX$893

103.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.53 KYD 33.24

$18.32 MX$317

121.23%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 KYD 14.55

$5.07 MX$87.6

249.90%

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

$1,747 KYD 1,433

$201 MX$3,473

770.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K KYD 20.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

379.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 KYD 75.2

$36.92 MX$639

148.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.9 KYD 59.0

$39.79 MX$688

80.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 KYD 123

$78.5 MX$1,357

91.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$87.1 MX$1,506

71.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 KYD 2,328

$973 MX$16.8K

191.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 KYD 2,072

$468 MX$8,090

440.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,662 KYD 4,643

$1,641 MX$28.4K

244.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 KYD 3,840

$1,221 MX$21.1K

283.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,623 KYD 7,071

$3,946 MX$68.3K

118.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 KYD 1,850

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,737 KYD 6,344

$664 MX$11.5K

1065.28%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,839 in George Town and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1065% 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 $628 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 255% in total monthly costs ($4,602 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 1065% 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: $2,839 in George Town 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 $4,602 per month in George Town versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 255% 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 15% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,602 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 255% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.