Cost of Living Comparison Between Lehliu Gara and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lehliu Gara and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,072 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,616 in Lehliu Gara versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lehliu Gara versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lehliu Gara costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lehliu Gara 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.23 RON 50.8
$11.96 MX$203
-6.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.62 RON 198
$47.38 MX$804
-7.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.91 RON 35.85
$11.75 MX$199
-32.68%
Cappuccino
$2.60 RON 11.78
$4.12 MX$70.0
-36.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 RON 10.09
$1.40 MX$23.74
59.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 RON 9.00
$0.91 MX$15.48
118.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 RON 9.76
$3.21 MX$54.4
-32.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 RON 14.97
$7.07 MX$120
-53.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 RON 5.69
$1.68 MX$28.44
-25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 RON 3.37
$2.15 MX$36.48
-65.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 RON 8.49
$1.77 MX$30.10
5.65%
Eggs
$3.62 RON 16.38
$2.82 MX$47.76
28.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.17 RON 37.01
$9.20 MX$156
-11.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.08 RON 27.53
$9.23 MX$157
-34.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.88 RON 40.20
$12.64 MX$214
-29.75%
Apples (1kg)
$1.34 RON 6.07
$2.95 MX$50.1
-54.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 RON 7.05
$1.58 MX$26.79
-1.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 RON 7.15
$2.22 MX$37.70
-28.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 RON 8.64
$2.36 MX$40.09
-19.07%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 RON 4.26
$1.99 MX$33.81
-52.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 RON 4.84
$1.98 MX$33.58
-45.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 RON 4.11
$1.24 MX$21.04
-26.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 RON 3.51
$1.21 MX$20.55
-35.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.93 RON 26.87
$4.60 MX$78.1
28.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.47 RON 24.78
$10.52 MX$178
-48.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 RON 4.64
$1.69 MX$28.70
-39.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 RON 5.63
$2.77 MX$47.06
-55.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 RON 3.74
$0.60 MX$10.22
38.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.56 RON 102
$29.70 MX$504
-24.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.69 RON 3.14
$5.24 MX$88.8
-86.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.73 RON 3.31
$3.65 MX$61.9
-80.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.19 RON 32.57
$5.78 MX$98.1
24.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 RON 8.26
$1.54 MX$26.09
18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K RON 132.2K
$22.8K MX$386.8K
27.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K RON 116.2K
$25.8K MX$437.9K
-0.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 RON 724
$90.7 MX$1,538
76.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.19 RON 37.08
$25.19 MX$427
-67.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.38 RON 37.94
$31.75 MX$539
-73.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.42 RON 169
$68.8 MX$1,167
-45.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.47 RON 102
$29.37 MX$498
-23.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.68 RON 30.24
$4.86 MX$82.5
37.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$625 RON 2,830
$226 MX$3,828
176.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,195 RON 23.5K
$4,194 MX$71.1K
23.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 RON 451
$47.38 MX$804
110.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.26 RON 155
$43.45 MX$737
-21.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.3 RON 286
$80.2 MX$1,361
-21.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.2 RON 395
$91.4 MX$1,550
-4.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$435 RON 1,972
$1,086 MX$18.4K
-59.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$320 RON 1,451
$409 MX$6,933
-21.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$643 RON 2,911
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-67.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$537 RON 2,432
$1,281 MX$21.7K
-58.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,674 RON 7,579
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-58.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,472 RON 6,667
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-78.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lehliu Gara
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$773 MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
11.45
-37.12%

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

Last update for Lehliu Gara: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Lehliu Gara and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Lehliu Gara vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $278 per month, with Lehliu Gara 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
Lehliu Gara vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Lehliu Gara?
Lehliu Gara is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,608 in Lehliu Gara and $1,958 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 Lehliu Gara and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $625 in Lehliu Gara versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Lehliu Gara and in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lehliu Gara or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,072 in Lehliu Gara versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lehliu Gara but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lehliu Gara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lehliu Gara or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Lehliu Gara 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 safer, Lehliu Gara or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Lehliu Gara and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lehliu Gara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lehliu Gara vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities