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 $1,175 per month in Las Piedras vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,244 per month in Las Piedras vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,313 per month in Las Piedras vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Las Piedras is about 9% 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 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.67 $18.67

$11.94 MX$208

56.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$42.75 MX$744

88.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 $9.56

$10.59 MX$184

-9.73%

Cappuccino

$3.56 $3.56

$3.62 MX$63.0

-1.66%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.47 MX$25.54

21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.94 MX$16.41

53.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.09 MX$53.8

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.46 MX$77.6

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.43 MX$24.80

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.88 MX$32.79

15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.63 MX$28.34

-38.04%

Eggs

$2.95 $2.95

$2.64 MX$45.99

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$8.21 MX$143

4.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$8.29 MX$144

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.10 MX$193

16.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.65 MX$46.14

-14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.50 MX$26.11

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.99 MX$34.59

91.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.08 MX$36.13

100.48%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.79 MX$31.11

128.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.18 MX$37.87

33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.08 MX$18.73

188.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.04 MX$18.04

83.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$3.97 MX$69.1

196.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 $15.90

$10.20 MX$178

55.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.73 MX$30.04

46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.50 MX$43.46

30.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.40 MX$41.80

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.07 $15.07

$3.09 MX$53.7

387.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.27 MX$22.16

-37.01%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

17.32%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

4.82%

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

$270 $270

$82.0 MX$1,427

228.62%

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

$79.5 $79.5

$22.45 MX$391

254.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$29.66 MX$516

102.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$4.97 MX$86.5

142.05%

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

$476 $476

$198 MX$3,442

140.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

94.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.92 $45.92

$36.34 MX$632

26.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$40.05 MX$697

42.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 $91.7

$79.9 MX$1,390

14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 $100.0

$88.9 MX$1,547

12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$1,596 MX$27.8K

12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 $739

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-38.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Piedras: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Las Piedras versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $251 – 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 10%, 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 $1,762 per month in Las Piedras and $1,930 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 $43.00 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 29% 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 $1,175, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.