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: $2,363 in High Level versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,362 in High Level versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,361 in High Level versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in High Level is roughly 82% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: High Level is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.89 CA$23.39

$11.73 MX$203

43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$97.9

$41.62 MX$720

69.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.14

$10.64 MX$184

2.82%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.21

$3.52 MX$60.9

6.82%

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

$1.99 CA$2.75

$1.51 MX$26.12

31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$0.97 MX$16.84

72.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.75

$2.95 MX$51.0

89.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.10

$4.45 MX$77.0

31.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.38 MX$23.93

51.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$1.89 MX$32.72

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$1.64 MX$28.32

121.95%

Eggs

$3.48 CA$4.82

$2.51 MX$43.34

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 CA$15.22

$8.34 MX$144

31.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 CA$16.12

$8.34 MX$144

39.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.31

$10.73 MX$186

36.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.60 MX$45.04

51.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.46 MX$25.20

-3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$1.90 MX$32.87

92.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.31

$2.08 MX$35.91

84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$1.78 MX$30.71

41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$1.04 MX$17.99

151.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.45

$1.08 MX$18.62

63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$19.08

$4.08 MX$70.6

237.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 CA$16.37

$10.32 MX$178

14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.87

$1.71 MX$29.61

63.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.21

$2.58 MX$44.54

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$0.51 MX$8.81

370.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$85.8

$26.46 MX$458

134.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.49

$3.26 MX$56.4

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$2.49 MX$43.09

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.67 CA$35.54

$3.25 MX$56.2

689.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.31 MX$22.61

-12.21%

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

$25.3K CA$35.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-16.45%

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

$21.0K CA$29.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-10.32%

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

$140 CA$194

$82.9 MX$1,433

69.39%

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

$43.21 CA$59.8

$22.22 MX$384

94.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 CA$87.4

$29.34 MX$507

115.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.85 CA$57.9

$51.6 MX$893

-18.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.02

$5.07 MX$87.6

128.21%

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

$723 CA$1,002

$201 MX$3,473

260.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

125.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$76.2

$36.92 MX$639

49.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 CA$54.6

$39.79 MX$688

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$78.5 MX$1,357

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$87.1 MX$1,506

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,837

$973 MX$16.8K

36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 CA$1,640

$468 MX$8,090

153.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,804

$1,641 MX$28.4K

23.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 CA$2,500

$1,221 MX$21.1K

47.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,894 CA$6,776

$3,946 MX$68.3K

24.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,084 CA$5,654

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-37.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for High Level: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in High Level and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in High Level vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $249 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 82% in total monthly costs ($2,363 vs $1,297 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 $3,545 in High Level and $1,945 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: $1,327 in High Level versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,363 per month in High Level versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 82% 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 134% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,363 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 82% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.