Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gili Air and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Gili Air vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,486 per month in Gili Air vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,126 per month in Gili Air vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gili Air is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gili Air and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Gili Air 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

$11.87 MX$204

-83.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.51 Rp 313.7K

$42.90 MX$736

-59.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$10.65 MX$183

-75.31%

Cappuccino

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-57.10%

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

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,213

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-55.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 Rp 22.2K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-1.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-46.58%

Eggs

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 Rp 189.5K

$8.26 MX$142

28.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

$8.37 MX$144

-62.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 Rp 154.7K

$10.66 MX$183

-19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 Rp 47.2K

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-26.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$1.92 MX$32.94

3.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-26.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-33.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,239

$1.09 MX$18.67

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.39 Rp 293.6K

$10.39 MX$178

57.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

$1.72 MX$29.59

15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,752

$0.54 MX$9.30

-61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.72 Rp 120.4K

$26.94 MX$462

-75.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 Rp 6,610

$3.13 MX$53.7

-88.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,548

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 Rp 87.2K

$3.15 MX$54.1

54.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-46.46%

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

$20.8K Rp 372.1M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-31.63%

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

$25.5K Rp 457.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

8.29%

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

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

$83.0 MX$1,425

-23.60%

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

$3.20 Rp 57.4K

$22.71 MX$390

-85.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 Rp 348.3K

$29.46 MX$506

-34.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 999.2K

$51.0 MX$875

9.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$18.33 MX$315

-79.00%

Cinema Ticket

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-52.94%

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

$202 Rp 3.6M

$197 MX$3,386

2.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,454 Rp 79.8M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-15.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 Rp 792.4K

$36.90 MX$633

19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.05 Rp 556.3K

$39.89 MX$685

-22.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

$80.0 MX$1,373

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-30.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 Rp 8.6M

$956 MX$16.4K

-49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 Rp 5.7M

$477 MX$8,189

-32.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 Rp 28.6M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 Rp 17.4M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-20.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,323 Rp 23.7M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-66.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,060 Rp 19.0M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-83.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.42

16.29%

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

Last update for Gili Air: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Gili Air versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Gili Air versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $250 – making Gili Air the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Gili Air vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,270 per month in Gili Air and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gili Air, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $847 in Gili Air and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 301% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gili Air. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.