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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,058 in George versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in George versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,445 in George versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in George costs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 R 187

$11.72 MX$203

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 R 630

$41.89 MX$725

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.8

$10.51 MX$182

-52.71%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.34

$3.59 MX$62.0

-45.40%

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

$1.50 R 24.66

$1.51 MX$26.10

-0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.15

$0.92 MX$15.83

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.36

$2.96 MX$51.2

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.44

$4.41 MX$76.3

-31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.07

$1.40 MX$24.16

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.57

$1.88 MX$32.60

-43.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.18

$1.56 MX$26.97

5.77%

Eggs

$2.90 R 47.66

$2.61 MX$45.14

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 R 154

$8.32 MX$144

12.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 R 78.2

$8.35 MX$145

-43.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 R 123

$10.86 MX$188

-31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.94

$2.71 MX$46.93

-35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.50

$1.51 MX$26.04

10.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.39

$1.87 MX$32.41

-24.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$2.19 MX$37.89

-26.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.27

$1.86 MX$32.14

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.48

$2.23 MX$38.59

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.04

$1.07 MX$18.48

19.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.64

$1.09 MX$18.79

-12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.2

$4.19 MX$72.4

-24.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 R 77.3

$10.43 MX$180

-55.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.89

$1.66 MX$28.68

-27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.84

$2.61 MX$45.19

-39.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.67

$0.54 MX$9.37

42.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 R 421

$26.16 MX$453

-2.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.92

$3.08 MX$53.3

-62.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.81

$2.40 MX$41.61

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 R 64.5

$3.13 MX$54.1

25.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.59

$1.31 MX$22.69

-9.16%

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

$21.3K R 350.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-28.66%

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

$21.1K R 346.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-9.69%

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

$126 R 2,074

$81.3 MX$1,406

54.98%

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

$16.00 R 263

$22.56 MX$390

-29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 R 847

$30.05 MX$520

71.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.54 R 453

$52.9 MX$915

-47.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.38 R 187

$18.39 MX$318

-38.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R 90.1

$4.92 MX$85.1

11.18%

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

$128 R 2,104

$201 MX$3,474

-36.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 R 78.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,217

$35.92 MX$622

105.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 531

$40.13 MX$694

-19.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 R 1,613

$79.7 MX$1,379

22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,441

$86.5 MX$1,496

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,639

$978 MX$16.9K

-58.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R 5,343

$470 MX$8,140

-31.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-57.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 R 13.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 R 5,802

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-91.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$240 R 3,957

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-96.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 R 21.6K

$677 MX$11.7K

93.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

11.42

-4.73%

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

Last update for George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in George and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 94% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in George vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $252 per month, with George 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 vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% higher in George, 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: $403 in George versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,058 per month in George versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in George versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.