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: $1,158 in George versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in George versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,666 in George versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in George costs roughly 9% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 R 181

$11.60 MX$200

-4.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.60 R 714

$47.11 MX$812

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 R 83.7

$11.88 MX$205

-56.99%

Cappuccino

$2.19 R 35.84

$3.98 MX$68.6

-44.97%

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

$1.04 R 17.09

$1.43 MX$24.60

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.53

$0.82 MX$14.22

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 46.51

$3.19 MX$55.0

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R 54.5

$6.79 MX$117

-50.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.92

$1.68 MX$28.89

-30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.86

$2.20 MX$37.88

-50.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.73

$1.71 MX$29.45

-11.70%

Eggs

$2.77 R 45.31

$2.74 MX$47.26

1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 R 143

$9.58 MX$165

-8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 R 92.3

$9.01 MX$155

-37.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R 110

$12.81 MX$221

-47.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.60

$2.89 MX$49.81

-41.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.87

$1.50 MX$25.81

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.91

$2.15 MX$37.03

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.21

$2.26 MX$38.96

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.67

$1.98 MX$34.15

-14.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.26

$1.99 MX$34.30

-25.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 R 22.09

$1.23 MX$21.28

9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R 16.83

$1.20 MX$20.63

-14.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 R 53.4

$4.55 MX$78.5

-28.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 R 80.8

$10.37 MX$179

-52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 21.62

$1.62 MX$27.91

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 R 29.49

$2.88 MX$49.67

-37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 R 24.96

$0.60 MX$10.35

153.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 R 467

$28.80 MX$497

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 R 10.82

$5.39 MX$92.9

-87.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.45

$3.73 MX$64.3

-86.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 R 144

$5.77 MX$99.5

52.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.86

$1.54 MX$26.48

-17.53%

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

$31.2K R 510.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

38.16%

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

$29.7K R 485.9K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

13.86%

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

$125 R 2,050

$91.4 MX$1,576

36.99%

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

$18.37 R 301

$25.20 MX$435

-27.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.20 R 757

$31.24 MX$539

47.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.19 R 511

$67.2 MX$1,159

-53.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.56 R 206

$29.11 MX$502

-56.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 R 100

$4.86 MX$83.8

25.93%

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

$143 R 2,337

$224 MX$3,856

-36.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,417 R 88.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

28.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,210

$47.10 MX$812

56.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.03 R 639

$44.29 MX$764

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 R 1,850

$80.1 MX$1,381

41.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 R 1,454

$92.7 MX$1,598

-4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,236

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-58.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,180

$390 MX$6,728

-3.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 R 13.1K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-62.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$949 R 15.5K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-25.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 R 14.6K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-77.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 R 11.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-89.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 R 22.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

82.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.45

-4.63%

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

Last update for George: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in George and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in George vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $276 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 83% 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: $442 in George versus $1,063 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 $44.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,158 per month in George versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,158 in George versus $1,266 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 9% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.