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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,103 per month in Lewisham vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,031 per month in Lewisham vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,959 per month in Lewisham vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Lewisham costs about 146% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Lewisham sits 133% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.53 £15.22
$11.72 MX$203
75.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.9 £60.0
$41.89 MX$725
93.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 £7.38
$10.51 MX$182
-5.33%
Cappuccino
$4.73 £3.50
$3.59 MX$62.0
31.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 £1.47
$1.51 MX$26.10
31.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 £1.37
$0.92 MX$15.83
101.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.73 £6.47
$2.96 MX$51.2
194.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.04 £6.70
$4.41 MX$76.3
104.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.12 £1.57
$1.40 MX$24.16
51.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 £1.93
$1.88 MX$32.60
38.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.07 £2.27
$1.56 MX$26.97
96.79%
Eggs
$5.82 £4.32
$2.61 MX$45.14
122.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.74 £4.99
$8.32 MX$144
-18.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.51 £5.57
$8.35 MX$145
-10.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.25 £9.08
$10.86 MX$188
12.80%
Apples (1kg)
$4.81 £3.56
$2.71 MX$46.93
77.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 £1.17
$1.51 MX$26.04
5.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 £2.10
$1.87 MX$32.41
51.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.18 £3.10
$2.19 MX$37.89
90.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 £1.20
$1.86 MX$32.14
-12.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.69 £1.99
$2.23 MX$38.59
20.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.86 £0.63
$1.07 MX$18.48
-19.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 £1.12
$1.09 MX$18.79
37.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$25.73 £19.07
$4.19 MX$72.4
514.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.09 £8.22
$10.43 MX$180
6.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 £1.76
$1.66 MX$28.68
42.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 £1.44
$2.61 MX$45.19
-25.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$6.17 £4.57
$0.54 MX$9.37
1042.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.6 £64.9
$26.16 MX$453
234.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.76 £4.27
$3.08 MX$53.3
87.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.18 £1.62
$2.40 MX$41.61
-9.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.12 £17.14
$3.13 MX$54.1
638.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 £1.65
$1.31 MX$22.69
70.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K £28.6K
$29.8K MX$515.7K
29.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K £30.6K
$23.3K MX$403.5K
77.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$415 £308
$81.3 MX$1,406
410.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.43 £12.92
$22.56 MX$390
-22.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.81 £29.50
$30.05 MX$520
32.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.79 £33.20
$52.9 MX$915
-15.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.39 MX$318
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.44 £15.15
$4.92 MX$85.1
315.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,584 £1,174
$201 MX$3,474
688.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.7K £13.8K
$5,175 MX$89.5K
260.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$158 £117
$35.92 MX$622
340.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.7 £45.74
$40.13 MX$694
53.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$149 £111
$79.7 MX$1,379
87.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$169 £125
$86.5 MX$1,496
94.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,121 £1,572
$978 MX$16.9K
116.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,566 £1,160
$470 MX$8,140
232.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 £1,507
$1,651 MX$28.6K
23.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,697 £2,740
$1,203 MX$20.8K
207.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,953 MX$68.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,607 MX$114.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lewisham
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,955 £2,932
$677 MX$11.7K
484.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.93
11.42
-39.32%

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

Last update for Lewisham: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,121 in Lewisham versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 485% higher in Lewisham, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Lewisham versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $313 vs $252 – 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
Lewisham vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lewisham or Playa del Carmen?
Lewisham costs about 146% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lewisham and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,655 per month in Lewisham and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lewisham or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lewisham or in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Lewisham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Lewisham and in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Lewisham and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Lewisham or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Lewisham at $3,103. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lewisham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lewisham or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $3,103 in Lewisham. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Lewisham or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lewisham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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