Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gozo and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,801 in Gozo, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gozo
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,801
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gozo 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 Gozo and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,801 in Gozo versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Gozo $1,801
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,747 in Gozo versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Gozo $2,747
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Gozo versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Gozo $3,694
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Gozo is roughly 49% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gozo is 33% above, Playa del Carmen is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.99 €27.57
$10.76 MX$199
188.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.8 €85.2
$43.03 MX$795
122.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.03 €9.81
$11.79 MX$218
-6.45%
Cappuccino
$2.86 €2.55
$3.87 MX$71.4
-26.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.37 MX$25.29
73.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$0.84 MX$15.44
57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.30 €2.94
$3.10 MX$57.3
6.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.65 €4.14
$5.07 MX$93.6
-8.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.44 MX$26.55
-17.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.23 MX$41.23
-47.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.47 MX$27.17
90.48%
Eggs
$2.86 €2.55
$2.53 MX$46.71
13.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 €9.07
$7.30 MX$135
39.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.81 €6.94
$7.86 MX$145
-0.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.33 €16.30
$12.79 MX$236
43.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 €2.40
$2.90 MX$53.6
-6.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 €2.06
$1.44 MX$26.53
60.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 €2.26
$2.55 MX$47.07
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.06 MX$38.03
-25.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.00 MX$36.97
-7.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.41 €1.25
$2.01 MX$37.07
-29.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.19 MX$22.02
19.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.26 MX$23.23
-16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.22 €5.53
$4.40 MX$81.4
41.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.24 €2.88
$9.59 MX$177
-66.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.59 MX$29.41
-6.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.03
$2.81 MX$51.9
-58.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.84 €2.53
$0.57 MX$10.47
398.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$27.82 MX$514
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.99 €3.55
$4.98 MX$92.1
-19.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 €1.60
$3.50 MX$64.6
-48.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.01 €29.36
$5.40 MX$99.8
511.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.47 MX$27.08
0.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
35.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1K €34.7K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
63.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$94.1 €83.7
$84.2 MX$1,556
11.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.19 €27.74
$23.99 MX$443
30.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.57 €26.31
$29.02 MX$536
1.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 €44.78
$63.0 MX$1,164
-20.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.14 MX$539
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 €9.92
$4.94 MX$91.3
125.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$282 €251
$204 MX$3,763
38.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K €10.8K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
206.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 €51.1
$43.60 MX$806
31.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.45 €43.98
$43.12 MX$797
14.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.4 €57.2
$75.8 MX$1,400
-15.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$88.6 MX$1,637
49.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$917 €815
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-9.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$797 €709
$374 MX$6,911
113.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,382 €1,229
$1,708 MX$31.6K
-19.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,161 €1,033
$1,106 MX$20.4K
4.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 €3,869
$3,944 MX$72.9K
10.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,948 €3,512
$6,169 MX$114.0K
-36.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gozo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,287 €1,145
$754 MX$13.9K
70.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.78
11.45
-66.99%

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

Last update for Gozo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gozo
$797
Playa del Carmen
$374 53.1% $423
Eating Out
Gozo
$356
Playa del Carmen
$202 43.2% $154
Groceries & Markets
Gozo
$259
Playa del Carmen
$258 0.2% $0.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gozo
$155
Playa del Carmen
$137 11.4% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Gozo
$137
Playa del Carmen
$113 17.2% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Gozo
$73
Playa del Carmen
$73 0.3% $0.2
Getting Around
Gozo
$24 *
Playa del Carmen
$53 116% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Gozo and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gozo pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $96.0 in Gozo vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇹 Gozo
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
18:17 6:17 PM
11:17 11:17 AM
7 h behind Gozo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,680
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gozo Playa del Carmen 9,630 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gozo
  • 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
Gozo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gozo or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Gozo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gozo or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 71% higher in Gozo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gozo compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $917 in Gozo versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Gozo or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Gozo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Gozo compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,801 per month in Gozo versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Gozo or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,801 in Gozo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gozo. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gozo or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Gozo compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Gozo 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Gozo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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