Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gosford and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,795 in Gosford, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gosford, Australia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Gosford
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,795
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gosford and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gosford and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,795 per month in Gosford vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Gosford $2,795
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,874 per month in Gosford vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Gosford $3,874
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,953 per month in Gosford vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Gosford $4,953
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Gosford costs about 132% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Gosford sits 105% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.40 A$24.73
$10.92 MX$205
59.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.9 A$118
$43.37 MX$814
91.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 A$15.22
$11.78 MX$221
-9.08%
Cappuccino
$3.49 A$4.97
$3.81 MX$71.5
-8.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 A$4.65
$1.28 MX$24.07
155.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 A$3.13
$0.78 MX$14.70
182.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.75 A$8.18
$3.17 MX$59.5
81.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.06 A$10.03
$4.93 MX$92.7
43.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 A$1.64
$1.41 MX$26.40
-18.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.98 A$5.65
$2.22 MX$41.62
79.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.04 A$2.90
$1.42 MX$26.61
43.66%
Eggs
$4.12 A$5.86
$2.52 MX$47.36
63.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.95 A$12.72
$7.26 MX$136
23.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 A$12.91
$7.70 MX$144
17.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.10 A$17.20
$12.69 MX$238
-4.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 A$4.16
$2.78 MX$52.3
5.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 A$3.62
$1.37 MX$25.68
85.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.25 A$4.62
$2.55 MX$47.89
27.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.60 A$6.53
$2.12 MX$39.86
116.98%
Potato (1kg)
$2.41 A$3.43
$1.94 MX$36.39
24.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 A$3.03
$1.89 MX$35.41
12.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.10 A$2.99
$1.15 MX$21.53
82.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 A$2.54
$1.18 MX$22.13
51.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$27.50 A$39.09
$4.30 MX$80.6
539.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.47 A$16.30
$9.95 MX$187
15.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$7.18 A$10.21
$1.58 MX$29.73
354.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.69 A$6.66
$2.67 MX$50.1
75.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.60 A$5.12
$0.55 MX$10.39
554.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$153 A$218
$26.62 MX$500
475.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.97 MX$93.3
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.33 MX$62.5
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.36 MX$101
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 A$1.94
$1.44 MX$27.11
-5.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K A$30.1K
$20.7K MX$388.0K
2.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K A$35.0K
$23.5K MX$440.5K
4.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$242 A$344
$84.8 MX$1,592
185.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.55 A$40.58
$23.41 MX$439
21.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.3 A$72.9
$28.66 MX$538
78.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.1 A$95.3
$57.1 MX$1,071
17.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.72 A$29.45
$28.91 MX$543
-28.33%
Cinema Ticket
$12.13 A$17.24
$5.14 MX$96.5
135.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 A$1,180
$207 MX$3,878
301.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,927 MX$73.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2 A$101
$43.35 MX$814
64.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.2 A$89.8
$41.44 MX$778
52.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 A$152
$74.2 MX$1,393
44.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 A$156
$89.3 MX$1,676
22.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,955 A$2,779
$980 MX$18.4K
99.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,418 A$2,016
$381 MX$7,150
272.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,268 A$3,223
$1,708 MX$32.1K
32.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,936 A$2,752
$1,075 MX$20.2K
80.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gosford
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,052 A$4,339
$735 MX$13.8K
315.58%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gosford
$1.4K
Playa del Carmen
$381 73.2% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Gosford
$360
Playa del Carmen
$255 29.2% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gosford
$322
Playa del Carmen
$137 57.5% $185
Eating Out
Gosford
$278
Playa del Carmen
$202 27.2% $76
Getting Around
Gosford
$168 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 69.9% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Gosford
$158
Playa del Carmen
$112 29.3% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Gosford
$91
Playa del Carmen
$67 26.3% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,955 in Gosford versus $980 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 in Gosford are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Gosford versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Gosford
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
11:10 11:10 AM
19:10 7:10 PM
16 h behind Gosford
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,873
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.63 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gosford Playa del Carmen 14,130 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gosford
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Gosford and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,795 in Gosford, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 57% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Gosford compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,192 per month in Gosford and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Gosford and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,955 in Gosford.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Gosford and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $830 per month in Gosford and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Gosford, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Gosford at $2,795. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gosford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Gosford or Playa del Carmen?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Gosford and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gosford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Gosford vs other spots: cost of living compared

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