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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,033 per month in Lija vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,009 per month in Lija vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,985 per month in Lija vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Lija costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lija sits 52% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 €17.23

$11.94 MX$209

68.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 €59.6

$42.75 MX$748

62.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 €10.07

$10.59 MX$185

11.05%

Cappuccino

$2.73 €2.34

$3.62 MX$63.4

-24.59%

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

$2.61 €2.24

$1.47 MX$25.69

77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.94 MX$16.51

110.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 €4.14

$3.09 MX$54.1

56.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.15

$4.46 MX$78.0

8.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.43 MX$24.94

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.88 MX$32.97

-19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.63 MX$28.50

114.11%

Eggs

$3.64 €3.11

$2.64 MX$46.26

37.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 €8.18

$8.21 MX$144

16.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 €9.19

$8.29 MX$145

29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 €11.75

$11.10 MX$194

23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 €2.88

$2.65 MX$46.40

26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.50 MX$26.26

38.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$1.99 MX$34.79

39.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 €2.82

$2.08 MX$36.33

58.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 €1.59

$1.79 MX$31.29

3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 €2.46

$2.18 MX$38.09

31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.08 MX$18.84

79.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.04 MX$18.15

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 €5.57

$3.97 MX$69.5

63.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 €5.31

$10.20 MX$179

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.73 MX$30.22

31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.50 MX$43.71

-28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 €2.29

$0.52 MX$9.07

415.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 €7.13

$3.14 MX$55.0

165.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.40 MX$42.04

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 €30.21

$3.09 MX$54.0

1042.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.27 MX$22.28

22.83%

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

$26.4K €22.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-14.64%

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

$41.7K €35.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

78.79%

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

$166 €142

$82.0 MX$1,435

102.63%

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

$30.30 €25.94

$22.45 MX$393

34.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.62 €27.92

$29.66 MX$519

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 €53.9

$51.9 MX$908

21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.31 €19.95

$18.67 MX$327

24.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 €12.93

$4.97 MX$87.0

204.02%

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

$265 €227

$198 MX$3,462

33.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K €10.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

138.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.5

$36.34 MX$636

178.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.20 €33.56

$40.05 MX$701

-2.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 €126

$79.9 MX$1,398

84.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €87.7

$88.9 MX$1,555

15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 €960

$963 MX$16.9K

16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 €818

$465 MX$8,133

105.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 €1,672

$1,596 MX$27.9K

22.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 €1,299

$1,209 MX$21.2K

25.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,217 €3,609

$3,942 MX$69.0K

6.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 €2,492

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-54.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

11.42

-52.45%

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

Last update for Lija: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,122 in Lija versus $963 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 $70.0 in Lija versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $251 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,033 in Lija, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 58% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,050 per month in Lija and $1,930 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,033 in Lija and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Lija and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Lija at $2,033. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lija it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $2,033 in Lija. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lija makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.