🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Livadeia versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,887 in Livadeia versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,555 in Livadeia versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Livadeia costs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Livadeia12% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.74€10.12
$11.96MX$203
-1.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.08€31.10
$47.38MX$804
-23.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.50€7.32
$11.75MX$199
-27.66%
Cappuccino
$3.42€2.95
$4.12MX$70.0
-16.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30€1.98
$1.40MX$23.74
64.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66€0.57
$0.91MX$15.48
-27.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.69€4.04
$3.21MX$54.4
46.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02€3.46
$7.07MX$120
-43.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67€1.44
$1.68MX$28.44
-0.60%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30€1.12
$2.15MX$36.48
-39.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.41€2.08
$1.77MX$30.10
36.16%
Eggs
$4.92€4.24
$2.82MX$47.76
74.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.69€10.08
$9.20MX$156
27.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.22€8.81
$9.23MX$157
10.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.68€12.65
$12.64MX$214
16.14%
Apples(1kg)
$2.34€2.02
$2.95MX$50.1
-20.68%
Banana(1kg)
$2.09€1.80
$1.58MX$26.79
32.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.96€0.83
$2.22MX$37.70
-56.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.83€1.58
$2.36MX$40.09
-22.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.19€1.03
$1.99MX$33.81
-40.20%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91€0.79
$1.98MX$33.58
-54.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.93€0.81
$1.24MX$21.04
-25.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42€0.36
$1.21MX$20.55
-65.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53€3.90
$4.60MX$78.1
-1.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.11€6.13
$10.52MX$178
-32.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71€1.47
$1.69MX$28.70
1.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03€1.75
$2.77MX$47.06
-26.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.60MX$10.22
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.70MX$504
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.51€3.89
$5.24MX$88.8
-13.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.14€0.98
$3.65MX$61.9
-68.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.48€12.48
$5.78MX$98.1
150.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.10€1.81
$1.54MX$26.09
36.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K€24.1K
$22.8KMX$386.8K
22.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K€20.9K
$25.8KMX$437.9K
-6.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166€143
$90.7MX$1,538
82.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.58€20.33
$25.19MX$427
-6.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.19€25.16
$31.75MX$539
-8.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.1€49.23
$68.8MX$1,167
-16.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.12€7.86
$4.86MX$82.5
87.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$502€433
$226MX$3,828
122.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,618€3,980
$4,194MX$71.1K
10.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.3€62.3
$47.38MX$804
52.60%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.12€30.28
$43.45MX$737
-19.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.9€67.1
$80.2MX$1,361
-2.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110€94.6
$91.4MX$1,550
20.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$328€282
$1,086MX$18.4K
-69.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$285€246
$409MX$6,933
-30.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577€497
$1,972MX$33.5K
-70.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$589€508
$1,281MX$21.7K
-54.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,046MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,704MX$113.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Livadeia
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$979€844
$773MX$13.1K
26.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.36
11.45
-61.92%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Livadeia: September 8, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $328 in Livadeia and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Livadeia pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $36.00 in Livadeia vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $278 per month, with Livadeia 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
Livadeia vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Livadeia or Playa del Carmen?
Livadeia wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Livadeia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Livadeia or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 27% higher in Livadeia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Livadeia compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $328 in Livadeia versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Livadeia or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Livadeia compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,219 per month in Livadeia versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Livadeia or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,219 in Livadeia versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Livadeia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Livadeia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Livadeia or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Livadeia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,219 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Livadeia hard to pass up.
How safe is Livadeia compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Livadeia 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Livadeia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.