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 $2,079 per month in Lija vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,068 per month in Lija vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,058 per month in Lija vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Lija costs about 65% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lija sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 €17.37

$11.72 MX$203

71.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 €60.0

$41.89 MX$725

65.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 €10.13

$10.51 MX$182

11.32%

Cappuccino

$2.66 €2.30

$3.59 MX$62.0

-25.91%

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

$2.73 €2.36

$1.51 MX$26.10

80.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.92 MX$15.83

114.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 €4.09

$2.96 MX$51.2

59.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 €4.19

$4.41 MX$76.3

9.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.40 MX$24.16

-6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.88 MX$32.60

-16.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 €2.96

$1.56 MX$26.97

119.23%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.19

$2.61 MX$45.14

41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 €8.74

$8.32 MX$144

21.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 €9.42

$8.35 MX$145

30.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 €11.93

$10.86 MX$188

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 €2.95

$2.71 MX$46.93

25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.76

$1.51 MX$26.04

34.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.52

$1.87 MX$32.41

55.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 €2.80

$2.19 MX$37.89

47.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.62

$1.86 MX$32.14

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 €2.54

$2.23 MX$38.59

31.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.07 MX$18.48

78.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.09 MX$18.79

17.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 €5.58

$4.19 MX$72.4

53.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 €5.36

$10.43 MX$180

-40.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.07

$1.66 MX$28.68

43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.53

$2.61 MX$45.19

-32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 €2.43

$0.54 MX$9.37

418.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 €6.87

$3.08 MX$53.3

157.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 €1.62

$2.40 MX$41.61

-22.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.37 €29.76

$3.13 MX$54.1

998.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.31 MX$22.69

20.61%

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

$26.6K €23.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-10.87%

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

$41.2K €35.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

76.61%

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

$167 €145

$81.3 MX$1,406

105.39%

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

$29.44 €25.50

$22.56 MX$390

30.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.64 €28.26

$30.05 MX$520

8.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 €55.0

$52.9 MX$915

20.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.76 €19.71

$18.39 MX$318

23.76%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 €13.23

$4.92 MX$85.1

210.57%

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

$263 €228

$201 MX$3,474

31.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K €10.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

143.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.4

$35.92 MX$622

181.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 €33.38

$40.13 MX$694

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 €124

$79.7 MX$1,379

80.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €88.1

$86.5 MX$1,496

17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 €988

$978 MX$16.9K

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 €810

$470 MX$8,140

98.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,960 €1,697

$1,651 MX$28.6K

18.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 €1,290

$1,203 MX$20.8K

23.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,094 €3,546

$3,953 MX$68.4K

3.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,564 €2,221

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-61.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Lija 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Lija versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,079 in Lija, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 65% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,119 per month in Lija and $1,890 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 $2,079 in Lija and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Lija and $201 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 $1,260, than in Lija at $2,079. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $2,079 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.