😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Livani versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Livani versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,707 in Livani versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Livani is roughly 7% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Livani is 1% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71€10.26
$11.99MX$209
-2.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.5€50.4
$41.78MX$728
37.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.67€6.72
$10.75MX$187
-28.65%
Cappuccino
$3.22€2.82
$3.50MX$60.9
-8.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86€1.63
$1.45MX$25.22
28.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.18
$0.88MX$15.41
53.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.80€4.20
$2.95MX$51.3
62.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95€2.58
$4.51MX$78.6
-34.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.32€1.16
$1.43MX$24.94
-7.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.61€1.41
$1.84MX$31.99
-12.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.03€2.65
$1.57MX$27.31
92.99%
Eggs
$3.23€2.83
$2.51MX$43.74
28.69%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.01€10.52
$8.28MX$144
45.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.53€6.60
$8.43MX$147
-10.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.90€10.42
$10.68MX$186
11.42%
Apples(1kg)
$1.41€1.23
$2.61MX$45.43
-45.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68€1.48
$1.44MX$25.04
16.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.53€2.22
$1.96MX$34.16
29.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.44€3.01
$2.09MX$36.47
64.59%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97€0.85
$1.85MX$32.24
-47.57%
Onion(1kg)
$0.97€0.85
$2.17MX$37.74
-55.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.70€1.49
$1.03MX$17.96
65.05%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81€0.71
$1.07MX$18.70
-24.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.20€4.55
$4.10MX$71.4
26.83%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.17MX$177
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82€1.59
$1.68MX$29.17
8.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18€1.91
$2.53MX$43.98
-13.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.97€0.85
$0.51MX$8.87
90.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.37€31.86
$26.04MX$453
39.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.44€2.13
$3.23MX$56.3
-24.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.80€0.70
$2.41MX$41.88
-66.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.46€10.04
$3.23MX$56.2
254.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.81€1.59
$1.32MX$23.00
37.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K€26.6K
$29.7KMX$517.1K
2.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K€27.4K
$23.7KMX$412.0K
32.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$309€271
$82.0MX$1,428
277.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.04€14.92
$22.95MX$400
-25.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.86€17.39
$30.11MX$524
-34.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.1€44.77
$52.0MX$905
-1.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53MX$323
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.78€10.32
$4.98MX$86.6
136.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$555€486
$197MX$3,438
180.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.5K€13.6K
$5,336MX$92.9K
190.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5€79.3
$35.60MX$620
154.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.95€41.12
$40.33MX$702
16.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.8€83.9
$78.8MX$1,371
21.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134€118
$88.9MX$1,549
50.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$364€319
$947MX$16.5K
-61.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$257€225
$474MX$8,254
-45.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$744€651
$1,644MX$28.6K
-54.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$456€400
$1,211MX$21.1K
-62.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,056MX$70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,470MX$112.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Livani
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$654MX$11.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.1
11.42
-64.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Livani: July 11, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Livani and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $58.0 in Livani vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $249, with Livani cheaper for home cooking.
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
Livani vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Livani or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Livani. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Livani and in Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $2,024 in Livani and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Livani compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $364 in Livani versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Livani and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $58.0 in Livani. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Livani compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,349 per month in Livani versus $1,256 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 $1,500/month in Livani or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in Livani, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Livani. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Livani or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Livani. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.