Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,004 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,837 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,669 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is roughly 58% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is 46% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.68 €16.28
$11.60 MX$200
61.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 €61.6
$47.11 MX$812
49.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.46 €10.86
$11.88 MX$205
4.88%
Cappuccino
$2.77 €2.42
$3.98 MX$68.6
-30.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.32
$1.43 MX$24.60
86.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.65
$0.82 MX$14.22
130.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 €3.00
$3.19 MX$55.0
7.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50 €3.92
$6.79 MX$117
-33.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 €1.15
$1.68 MX$28.89
-21.43%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 €1.23
$2.20 MX$37.88
-35.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 €1.58
$1.71 MX$29.45
5.85%
Eggs
$3.76 €3.28
$2.74 MX$47.26
37.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.49 €10.02
$9.58 MX$165
19.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €7.95
$9.01 MX$155
1.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.35 €17.73
$12.81 MX$221
58.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.19
$2.89 MX$49.81
-13.15%
Banana (1kg)
$2.12 €1.84
$1.50 MX$25.81
41.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 €1.67
$2.15 MX$37.03
-11.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.26
$2.26 MX$38.96
14.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 €1.46
$1.98 MX$34.15
-15.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 €1.66
$1.99 MX$34.30
-4.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.07
$1.23 MX$21.28
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.73
$1.20 MX$20.63
-30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.05 €6.15
$4.55 MX$78.5
54.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.80 €5.05
$10.37 MX$179
-44.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 €1.16
$1.62 MX$27.91
-17.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.54
$2.88 MX$49.67
-38.54%
🚌 Getting Around
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.83 €2.47
$0.60 MX$10.35
371.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.10 €22.75
$28.80 MX$497
-9.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 €2.70
$5.39 MX$92.9
-42.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 €1.20
$3.73 MX$64.3
-63.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.42 €23.03
$5.77 MX$99.5
357.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.56
$1.54 MX$26.48
16.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K €31.9K
$22.5K MX$388.8K
62.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K €26.6K
$26.1K MX$449.3K
17.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 €155
$91.4 MX$1,576
94.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.10 €13.16
$25.20 MX$435
-40.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.65 €31.08
$31.24 MX$539
14.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.35 €29.95
$67.2 MX$1,159
-48.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 €25.00
$29.11 MX$502
-1.48%
Cinema Ticket
$10.86 €9.47
$4.86 MX$83.8
123.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$595 €518
$224 MX$3,856
165.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,021
$4,229 MX$72.9K
144.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.4 €81.4
$47.10 MX$812
98.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.53 €35.33
$44.29 MX$764
-8.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €85.4
$80.1 MX$1,381
22.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €106
$92.7 MX$1,598
30.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 €1,228
$1,063 MX$18.3K
32.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$972 €848
$390 MX$6,728
149.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,643 €1,432
$2,149 MX$37.1K
-23.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,210 €1,055
$1,272 MX$21.9K
-4.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,023 €3,507
$4,001 MX$69.0K
0.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,492 €2,172
$6,502 MX$112.1K
-61.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,860 €1,622
$758 MX$13.1K
145.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.16
11.45
-72.40%

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

Last update for L'Hospitalet de Llobregat: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,409 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat pays 145% 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: $71.0 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $282 vs $276 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
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than L'Hospitalet de Llobregat?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 145% higher in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,409 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $71.0 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and in Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,004 per month in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,004 in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat vs other spots: cost of living compared

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