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: $1,410 in Les Escaldes versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,285 in Les Escaldes versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,160 in Les Escaldes versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Les Escaldes is roughly 11% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Les Escaldes is 5% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 €13.04

$11.87 MX$204

27.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.92 €28.36

$42.90 MX$736

-23.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 €5.91

$10.65 MX$183

-35.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.78 €1.53

$1.50 MX$25.81

18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.61 MX$27.65

-0.62%

Eggs

$1.72 €1.48

$2.59 MX$44.51

-33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 €6.80

$8.26 MX$142

-4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.09 MX$18.67

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 €5.91

$10.39 MX$178

-33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.1 €44.06

$26.94 MX$462

89.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 €2.01

$3.13 MX$53.7

-25.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$40.81 €35.16

$83.0 MX$1,425

-50.83%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 €44.27

$29.46 MX$506

74.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.3 €80.3

$51.0 MX$875

82.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 €10.10

$18.33 MX$315

-36.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 €8.21

$4.93 MX$84.5

93.31%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.1

$36.90 MX$633

186.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 €50.0

$39.89 MX$685

45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 €69.2

$80.0 MX$1,373

0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 €80.9

$89.5 MX$1,536

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 €803

$956 MX$16.4K

-2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 €703

$477 MX$8,189

70.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 €1,913

$1,646 MX$28.3K

34.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 €1,493

$1,225 MX$21.0K

41.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K €9,970

$6,459 MX$110.9K

79.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,720 €2,343

$667 MX$11.4K

307.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Les Escaldes: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Les Escaldes and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 308% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Les Escaldes vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $64.0 vs $250 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,410 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Les Escaldes pays 308% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $932 in Les Escaldes versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Les Escaldes pay roughly 288% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,410 per month in Les Escaldes versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,410 in Les Escaldes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Les Escaldes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Les Escaldes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.