🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Las Muesas versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,933 in Las Muesas versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,638 in Las Muesas versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Las Muesas costs roughly 5% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Las Muesas8% lower, Playa del Carmen3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.18$12.18
$11.73MX$203
3.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.1$82.1
$41.62MX$720
97.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.51$9.51
$10.64MX$184
-10.62%
Cappuccino
$3.53$3.53
$3.52MX$60.9
0.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$1.51MX$26.12
12.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37$1.37
$0.97MX$16.84
41.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.97$2.97
$2.95MX$51.0
0.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.60$4.60
$4.45MX$77.0
3.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.38$2.38
$1.38MX$23.93
72.46%
White Bread(500g)
$2.61$2.61
$1.89MX$32.72
38.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25$2.25
$1.64MX$28.32
37.20%
Eggs
$6.17$6.17
$2.51MX$43.34
145.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.87$8.87
$8.34MX$144
6.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.55$8.55
$8.34MX$144
2.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.56$12.56
$10.73MX$186
17.05%
Apples(1kg)
$5.96$5.96
$2.60MX$45.04
129.23%
Banana(1kg)
$2.71$2.71
$1.46MX$25.20
85.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.96$3.96
$1.90MX$32.87
108.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.97$3.97
$2.08MX$35.91
90.87%
Potato(1kg)
$3.87$3.87
$1.78MX$30.71
117.42%
Onion(1kg)
$2.58$2.58
$2.19MX$37.80
17.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.44$1.44
$1.04MX$17.99
38.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$1.08MX$18.62
82.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.11$12.11
$4.08MX$70.6
196.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.57$15.57
$10.32MX$178
50.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46$2.46
$1.71MX$29.61
43.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23$3.23
$2.58MX$44.54
25.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.51MX$8.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$60.8$60.8
$26.46MX$458
129.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.26MX$56.4
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53$1.53
$2.49MX$43.09
-38.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.90$14.90
$3.25MX$56.2
358.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$1.31MX$22.61
-27.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K$36.6K
$30.3KMX$523.7K
20.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K$26.5K
$23.4KMX$405.3K
13.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$222$222
$82.9MX$1,433
168.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.3$78.3
$22.22MX$384
252.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.3$72.3
$29.34MX$507
146.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.14$37.14
$51.6MX$893
-28.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.82$11.82
$5.07MX$87.6
133.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$371$371
$201MX$3,473
84.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4K$10.4K
$5,212MX$90.1K
99.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.06$46.06
$36.92MX$639
24.76%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.6$56.6
$39.79MX$688
42.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.3$80.3
$78.5MX$1,357
2.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104$104
$87.1MX$1,506
19.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817$817
$973MX$16.8K
-16.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$468MX$8,090
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,827$1,827
$1,641MX$28.4K
11.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,221MX$21.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,946MX$68.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,498MX$112.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Las Muesas
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$664MX$11.5K
-
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 Muesas: May 30, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $817 in Las Muesas and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $82.0 in Las Muesas vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 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
Las Muesas vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Las Muesas?
Las Muesas is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,841 in Las Muesas 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.
What is the rent difference between Las Muesas and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $817 in Las Muesas versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Las Muesas or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Las Muesas – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Las Muesas vs Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Las Muesas versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Las Muesas or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,227 in Las Muesas versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Las Muesas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Las Muesas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Las Muesas or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Las Muesas 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Las Muesas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Las Muesas vs other spots: cost of living compared