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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Imperatriz versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Imperatriz versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,841 in Imperatriz versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Imperatriz costs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Imperatriz 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.97 R$30.70

$11.60 MX$200

-48.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.38 R$177

$47.11 MX$811

-27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 R$36.24

$11.88 MX$205

-40.66%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R$9.74

$3.98 MX$68.5

-52.51%

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

$1.09 R$5.62

$1.43 MX$24.57

-23.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.42

$0.82 MX$14.20

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.40

$3.19 MX$54.9

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.85

$6.79 MX$117

-51.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.51

$1.68 MX$28.85

-24.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 R$7.89

$2.20 MX$37.83

-30.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.71 MX$29.41

-30.41%

Eggs

$1.90 R$9.76

$2.74 MX$47.20

-30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 R$53.9

$9.58 MX$165

9.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 R$20.63

$9.01 MX$155

-55.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 R$39.36

$12.81 MX$221

-40.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.06

$2.89 MX$49.74

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.50 MX$25.78

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.48

$2.15 MX$36.98

-50.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.82

$2.26 MX$38.91

-32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.08

$1.98 MX$34.10

-40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.99

$1.99 MX$34.26

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.69

$1.23 MX$21.25

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.10

$1.20 MX$20.60

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.34

$4.55 MX$78.3

-47.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$41.56

$10.37 MX$179

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.46

$1.62 MX$27.88

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.51

$2.88 MX$49.60

-35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 R$4.28

$0.60 MX$10.34

38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.26 R$207

$28.80 MX$496

39.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 R$6.49

$5.39 MX$92.8

-76.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.68

$3.73 MX$64.2

-80.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 R$38.57

$5.77 MX$99.3

29.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.16

$1.54 MX$26.45

-22.08%

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

$24.9K R$128.2K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

10.58%

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

$34.3K R$176.2K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

31.53%

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

$71.1 R$366

$91.4 MX$1,573

-22.19%

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

$10.82 R$55.7

$25.20 MX$434

-57.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.76 R$107

$31.24 MX$538

-33.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.59 R$132

$67.2 MX$1,157

-61.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 R$132

$29.11 MX$501

-11.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 R$39.52

$4.86 MX$83.7

58.23%

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

$271 R$1,395

$224 MX$3,851

21.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,562 R$33.7K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

55.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.45 R$244

$47.10 MX$811

0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 R$272

$44.29 MX$763

19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 R$468

$80.1 MX$1,379

13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 R$377

$92.7 MX$1,596

-20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 R$1,741

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-68.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 R$1,216

$390 MX$6,719

-39.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 R$3,781

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-65.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 R$2,041

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-68.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,382 R$7,108

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-65.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,101 R$5,662

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-83.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.06

11.45

-3.41%

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

Last update for Imperatriz: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Imperatriz and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Imperatriz vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $276 per month, with Imperatriz 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

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

Imperatriz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,304 in Imperatriz and $1,899 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: $339 in Imperatriz versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Imperatriz versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imperatriz is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Imperatriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.