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 $1,312 per month in Las Piedras vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,077 per month in Las Piedras vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,841 per month in Las Piedras vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Las Piedras costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Las Piedras and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Las Piedras 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 $18.64

$11.60 MX$200

60.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$47.11 MX$811

79.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 $9.06

$11.88 MX$205

-23.74%

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$3.98 MX$68.5

-8.04%

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

$1.85 $1.85

$1.43 MX$24.57

29.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.82 MX$14.20

74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.19 MX$54.9

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 $5.02

$6.79 MX$117

-26.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.68 MX$28.85

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.20 MX$37.83

64.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.71 MX$29.41

37.43%

Eggs

$7.35 $7.35

$2.74 MX$47.20

168.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$9.58 MX$165

30.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$9.01 MX$155

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 $13.47

$12.81 MX$221

5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.89 MX$49.74

69.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.50 MX$25.78

72.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.15 MX$36.98

121.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.26 MX$38.91

111.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.98 MX$34.10

92.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.99 MX$34.26

95.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.23 MX$21.25

183.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.20 MX$20.60

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 $11.82

$4.55 MX$78.3

159.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.58 $15.58

$10.37 MX$179

50.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.62 MX$27.88

90.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.88 MX$49.60

36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$5.39 MX$92.8

-52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.73 MX$64.2

-60.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.21 $42.21

$5.77 MX$99.3

631.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.54 MX$26.45

-50.65%

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

$40.2K $40.2K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

78.46%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

9.14%

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

$324 $324

$91.4 MX$1,573

254.13%

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

$68.1 $68.1

$25.20 MX$434

170.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$31.24 MX$538

125.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.38 $10.38

$4.86 MX$83.7

113.58%

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

$807 $807

$224 MX$3,851

260.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

198.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 $55.2

$47.10 MX$811

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 $62.2

$44.29 MX$763

40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$80.1 MX$1,379

35.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$92.7 MX$1,596

21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Las Piedras: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84.0 in Las Piedras versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $276 – 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 – Las Piedras is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,969 per month in Las Piedras and $1,899 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 $84.0 in Las Piedras and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Las Piedras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Las Piedras at $1,312. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Las Piedras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Las Piedras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.