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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,790 per month in Gosford vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Gosford vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,066 per month in Gosford vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gosford costs about 120% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Gosford sits 104% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 A$24.43

$11.60 MX$200

49.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 A$121

$47.11 MX$812

82.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$14.94

$11.88 MX$205

-10.86%

Cappuccino

$3.55 A$5.01

$3.98 MX$68.6

-10.80%

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

$3.37 A$4.75

$1.43 MX$24.60

135.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 A$3.23

$0.82 MX$14.22

179.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 A$8.27

$3.19 MX$55.0

84.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.24 A$10.21

$6.79 MX$117

6.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.66

$1.68 MX$28.89

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 A$5.50

$2.20 MX$37.88

77.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 A$3.04

$1.71 MX$29.45

25.73%

Eggs

$4.14 A$5.83

$2.74 MX$47.26

51.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 A$13.21

$9.58 MX$165

-2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 A$13.23

$9.01 MX$155

4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 A$17.65

$12.81 MX$221

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.17

$2.89 MX$49.81

2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.55

$1.50 MX$25.81

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 A$4.85

$2.15 MX$37.03

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 A$6.79

$2.26 MX$38.96

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 A$3.45

$1.98 MX$34.15

23.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.05

$1.99 MX$34.30

8.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 A$3.03

$1.23 MX$21.28

74.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 A$2.64

$1.20 MX$20.63

55.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.57 A$40.29

$4.55 MX$78.5

527.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 A$16.29

$10.37 MX$179

11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$7.45 A$10.50

$1.62 MX$27.91

359.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 A$7.01

$2.88 MX$49.67

72.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 A$5.09

$0.60 MX$10.35

501.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$154 A$217

$28.80 MX$497

433.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.88

$1.54 MX$26.48

-13.64%

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

$21.3K A$30.0K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-5.63%

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

$25.1K A$35.4K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-3.74%

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

$245 A$346

$91.4 MX$1,576

168.34%

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

$28.29 A$39.89

$25.20 MX$435

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 A$72.6

$31.24 MX$539

64.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 A$96.3

$67.2 MX$1,159

1.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 A$29.63

$29.11 MX$502

-27.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 A$17.28

$4.86 MX$83.8

152.06%

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

$864 A$1,219

$224 MX$3,856

286.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 A$99.3

$47.10 MX$812

49.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 A$88.1

$44.29 MX$764

41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 A$153

$80.1 MX$1,381

35.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$157

$92.7 MX$1,598

20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 A$2,781

$1,063 MX$18.3K

85.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 A$1,980

$390 MX$6,728

259.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 A$3,236

$2,149 MX$37.1K

6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 A$2,848

$1,272 MX$21.9K

58.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,085 A$4,350

$758 MX$13.1K

306.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.23

11.45

-54.32%

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

Last update for Gosford: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in Gosford versus $1,063 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.

Salaries run about 307% higher in Gosford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Gosford versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,790 in Gosford, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 120% apart. Gosford costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,186 per month in Gosford and $1,899 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $864 per month in Gosford and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Gosford, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Gosford at $2,790. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gosford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $2,790 in Gosford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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