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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,164 per month in Las Piedras vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Las Piedras vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,205 per month in Las Piedras vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Las Piedras is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Las Piedras and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Las Piedras 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.19 $19.19

$11.72 MX$203

63.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$41.89 MX$725

91.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$10.51 MX$182

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$3.59 MX$62.0

-1.39%

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

$1.69 $1.69

$1.51 MX$26.10

11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.92 MX$15.83

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.41 MX$76.3

2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.40 MX$24.16

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.88 MX$32.60

19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.56 MX$26.97

-32.69%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$2.61 MX$45.14

11.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$8.32 MX$144

4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$8.35 MX$145

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$10.86 MX$188

17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.71 MX$46.93

-16.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.51 MX$26.04

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.87 MX$32.41

103.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.19 MX$37.89

83.11%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.86 MX$32.14

116.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.23 MX$38.59

36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.07 MX$18.48

182.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.09 MX$18.79

80.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.13 $12.13

$4.19 MX$72.4

189.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.43 MX$180

51.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.66 MX$28.68

53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.61 MX$45.19

21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.40 MX$41.61

-38.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.77 $14.77

$3.13 MX$54.1

371.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.69

-35.88%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

19.03%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

1.77%

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

$279 $279

$81.3 MX$1,406

243.17%

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

$79.4 $79.4

$22.56 MX$390

251.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$30.05 MX$520

98.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$4.92 MX$85.1

139.23%

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

$472 $472

$201 MX$3,474

135.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

101.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 $44.95

$35.92 MX$622

25.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$40.13 MX$694

38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$79.7 MX$1,379

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$86.5 MX$1,496

15.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 $1,776

$1,651 MX$28.6K

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Piedras: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Las Piedras versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $252 – 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 Piedras vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,746 per month in Las Piedras and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Las Piedras and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Las Piedras, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Las Piedras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Las Piedras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Las Piedras. 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.