Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between High Level and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,275 in High Level versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,297 in High Level versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,318 in High Level versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in High Level is roughly 74% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: High Level is 65% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.86 CA$23.38

$11.96 MX$203

40.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.2

$47.38 MX$804

26.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.52

$11.75 MX$199

-4.77%

Cappuccino

$3.31 CA$4.60

$4.12 MX$70.0

-19.66%

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

$2.03 CA$2.81

$1.40 MX$23.74

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$0.91 MX$15.48

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.23

$3.21 MX$54.4

85.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$6.99

$7.07 MX$120

-28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.72

$1.68 MX$28.44

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$2.15 MX$36.48

31.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.62

$1.77 MX$30.10

88.14%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.28

$2.82 MX$47.76

9.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 CA$12.72

$9.20 MX$156

-0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.08 CA$18.14

$9.23 MX$157

41.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 CA$20.51

$12.64 MX$214

17.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.95 MX$50.1

49.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.58 MX$26.79

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$2.22 MX$37.70

63.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.09

$2.36 MX$40.09

86.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.17

$1.99 MX$33.81

15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$1.98 MX$33.58

26.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$1.24 MX$21.04

109.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.21 MX$20.55

30.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.74 CA$19.05

$4.60 MX$78.1

198.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 CA$15.45

$10.52 MX$178

5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$1.69 MX$28.70

64.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.77 MX$47.06

5.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$0.60 MX$10.22

261.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 CA$77.1

$29.70 MX$504

87.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$5.24 MX$88.8

-49.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$3.65 MX$61.9

-61.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.06 CA$37.53

$5.78 MX$98.1

368.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.54 MX$26.09

-25.32%

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

$29.4K CA$40.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

28.82%

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

$19.1K CA$26.5K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-26.02%

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

$139 CA$192

$90.7 MX$1,538

53.03%

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

$33.52 CA$46.49

$25.19 MX$427

33.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 CA$73.3

$31.75 MX$539

66.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$58.5

$68.8 MX$1,167

-38.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.93 CA$29.03

$29.37 MX$498

-28.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 CA$16.96

$4.86 MX$82.5

151.65%

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

$887 CA$1,230

$226 MX$3,828

292.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.5K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

200.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$78.9

$47.38 MX$804

20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.52 CA$60.4

$43.45 MX$737

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 CA$103

$80.2 MX$1,361

-7.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$91.4 MX$1,550

15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 CA$1,770

$1,086 MX$18.4K

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CA$1,777

$409 MX$6,933

213.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,717 CA$2,382

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 CA$2,175

$1,281 MX$21.7K

22.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,084 CA$5,665

$4,046 MX$68.6K

0.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,144 CA$5,748

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-38.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.45

-59.13%

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

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in High Level and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in High Level vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

High Level and Playa del Carmen differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,275 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,413 in High Level and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,276 in High Level versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,275 per month in High Level versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 87% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,275 in High Level, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in High Level. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, High Level 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.