Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Marias and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Marias and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Las Marias vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,905 per month in Las Marias vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,600 per month in Las Marias vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Las Marias is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Las Marias and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Las Marias 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.92 $16.92

$11.87 MX$204

42.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 $80.7

$42.90 MX$736

88.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 $9.47

$10.65 MX$183

-11.08%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$3.45 MX$59.2

-4.06%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.50 MX$25.81

18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.95 MX$16.28

44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.03 MX$51.9

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.61 MX$79.1

-14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.38 MX$23.61

73.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.85 MX$31.70

79.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.61 MX$27.65

33.54%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$2.59 MX$44.51

130.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 $8.80

$8.26 MX$142

6.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$8.37 MX$144

3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 $12.72

$10.66 MX$183

19.32%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.63 MX$45.12

130.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.49 MX$25.53

79.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.92 MX$32.94

101.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.09 MX$35.81

89.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.86 MX$31.88

111.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.26 MX$38.81

31.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.06 MX$18.23

188.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.09 MX$18.67

74.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$4.15 MX$71.2

175.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.72 MX$29.59

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.61 MX$44.85

19.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 $15.24

$3.15 MX$54.1

383.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.27 MX$21.88

-22.83%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

20.24%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

14.28%

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

$318 $318

$83.0 MX$1,425

282.89%

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

$77.9 $77.9

$22.71 MX$390

243.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$29.46 MX$506

142.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 $11.49

$4.93 MX$84.5

133.06%

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

$467 $467

$197 MX$3,386

136.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

97.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$36.90 MX$633

23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 $55.7

$39.89 MX$685

39.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 $92.7

$80.0 MX$1,373

15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$89.5 MX$1,536

20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$1,646 MX$28.3K

7.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Las Marias: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Las Marias versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Las Marias, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Las Marias and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,211 in Las Marias and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $467 per month in Las Marias and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Marias, where all-in costs run around $1,211, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Las Marias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Marias costs $1,211 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Las Marias. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.