Cost of Living Comparison Between Layyah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Layyah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $337 per month in Layyah vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $522 per month in Layyah vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $708 per month in Layyah vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Layyah is about 74% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Layyah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Layyah 75% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 PKR 505

$11.73 MX$203

-84.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.80 PKR 3,004

$41.62 MX$719

-74.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 PKR 972

$10.64 MX$184

-67.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 PKR 771

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 PKR 1,331

Cappuccino

$1.45 PKR 402

$3.52 MX$60.8

-58.81%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$1.51 MX$26.09

-78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$0.97 MX$16.82

-75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.38 MX$23.90

-65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

$1.89 MX$32.69

-82.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 PKR 348

$1.64 MX$28.29

-23.78%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 301

$2.51 MX$43.30

-56.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 PKR 1,645

$8.34 MX$144

-29.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.35 PKR 653

$8.34 MX$144

-71.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 842

$10.73 MX$185

-71.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.72 PKR 201

$2.60 MX$45.00

-72.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.46 MX$25.18

-75.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$1.90 MX$32.84

-64.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$2.08 MX$35.88

-76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.4

$1.78 MX$30.68

-80.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 151

$2.19 MX$37.76

-75.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 PKR 177

$1.04 MX$17.97

-39.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.8

$1.08 MX$18.60

-68.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.04 PKR 288

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 194

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 561

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$4.08 MX$70.5

-53.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.4

$0.51 MX$8.81

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 PKR 1,962

$26.46 MX$457

-73.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 PKR 302

$3.26 MX$56.4

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 112

$2.49 MX$43.05

-83.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 498

$3.25 MX$56.1

-44.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.31 MX$22.59

-25.95%

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

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-25.84%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-8.76%

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

$57.9 PKR 16.1K

$82.9 MX$1,432

-30.18%

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

$3.64 PKR 1,012

$22.22 MX$384

-83.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 PKR 3,553

$29.34 MX$507

-56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.53 PKR 3,485

$51.6 MX$892

-75.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,674

$18.32 MX$317

-67.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 PKR 997

$5.07 MX$87.5

-29.39%

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

$17.43 PKR 4,848

$201 MX$3,470

-91.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$523 PKR 145.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-89.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.06 PKR 4,468

$36.92 MX$638

-56.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.05 PKR 6,134

$39.79 MX$688

-44.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

$78.5 MX$1,356

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.05 PKR 7,248

$87.1 MX$1,505

-70.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$973 MX$16.8K

-92.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

$468 MX$8,082

-88.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-89.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 PKR 29.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-91.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$874 PKR 243.1K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-77.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$500 PKR 139.1K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-92.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

57.62%

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

Last update for Layyah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.8 in Layyah versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Layyah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $76.0 vs $249 – making Layyah 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 285%, 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 $505 per month in Layyah and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Layyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Layyah and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $337 in Layyah and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Layyah, where all-in costs run around $337, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Layyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Layyah – 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 Layyah. 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.