Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Escaldes and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $362 in Les Escaldes versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,869 in Les Escaldes versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,377 in Les Escaldes versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Les Escaldes costs roughly 71% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Les Escaldes 74% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 €13.24

$11.60 MX$200

30.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.76 €35.53

$47.11 MX$812

-13.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 €11.97

$11.88 MX$205

15.57%

Cappuccino

$2.63 €2.29

$3.98 MX$68.6

-33.92%

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

$2.57 €2.24

$1.43 MX$24.60

79.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.82 MX$14.22

113.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 €2.74

$3.19 MX$55.0

-1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.83

$6.79 MX$117

-52.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.68 MX$28.89

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$4.32 €3.77

$2.74 MX$47.26

57.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 €15.01

$12.81 MX$221

34.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 €3.51

$2.89 MX$49.81

39.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 €5.09

$4.55 MX$78.5

28.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 €6.05

$10.37 MX$179

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.60 MX$10.35

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.54 MX$26.48

16.88%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 €2,479

$2,149 MX$37.1K

32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,351 €2,049

$1,272 MX$21.9K

84.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K €9,985

$6,502 MX$112.1K

76.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,753 €2,399

$758 MX$13.1K

263.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Les Escaldes pays 263% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Les Escaldes vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $125 vs $276 per month, with Les Escaldes 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

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

Les Escaldes and Playa del Carmen differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($362 vs $1,266 including rent). Les Escaldes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 263% higher in Les Escaldes, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Les Escaldes – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $362 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $362 in Les Escaldes versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Les Escaldes but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Les Escaldes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Les Escaldes 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.

Expats usually find Les Escaldes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.