Cost of Living Comparison Between Lloret de Mar and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lloret de Mar and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,587 in Lloret de Mar versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,454 in Lloret de Mar versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,322 in Lloret de Mar versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lloret de Mar is roughly 23% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lloret de Mar is 18% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.83 €11.84
$11.94 MX$209
15.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.01 €39.39
$42.75 MX$748
7.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.75 €5.78
$10.59 MX$185
-36.26%
Cappuccino
$1.84 €1.57
$3.62 MX$63.4
-49.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 €2.06
$1.47 MX$25.69
63.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.41
$0.94 MX$16.51
75.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 €3.06
$3.09 MX$54.1
15.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €2.91
$4.46 MX$78.0
-23.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 €1.05
$1.43 MX$24.94
-14.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.08 €1.78
$1.88 MX$32.97
10.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.37
$1.63 MX$28.50
-1.84%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.55
$2.64 MX$46.26
12.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.75 €10.06
$8.21 MX$144
43.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.16 €6.13
$8.29 MX$145
-13.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.19 €14.71
$11.10 MX$194
54.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.57 €2.20
$2.65 MX$46.40
-3.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.48
$1.50 MX$26.26
15.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 €2.48
$1.99 MX$34.79
45.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.97 €2.54
$2.08 MX$36.33
42.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 €1.02
$1.79 MX$31.29
-33.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 €1.27
$2.18 MX$38.09
-32.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 €1.28
$1.08 MX$18.84
37.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 €0.54
$1.04 MX$18.15
-39.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.64 €4.83
$3.97 MX$69.5
42.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.42 €4.64
$10.20 MX$179
-46.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 €1.02
$1.73 MX$30.22
-31.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 €1.30
$2.50 MX$43.71
-39.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 €1.91
$0.52 MX$9.07
328.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.36 €23.42
$26.97 MX$472
1.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.17 €3.57
$3.14 MX$55.0
32.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.10 €1.80
$2.40 MX$42.04
-12.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.69 €19.42
$3.09 MX$54.0
634.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 €1.49
$1.27 MX$22.28
37.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K €24.7K
$30.9K MX$540.4K
-6.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K €25.8K
$23.3K MX$408.0K
29.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 €104
$82.0 MX$1,435
48.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.67 €13.42
$22.45 MX$393
-30.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.22 €30.15
$29.66 MX$519
18.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.5 €61.2
$51.9 MX$908
37.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.97 €12.82
$18.67 MX$327
-19.82%
Cinema Ticket
$8.04 €6.88
$4.97 MX$87.0
61.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$330 €282
$198 MX$3,462
66.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,955 €5,953
$5,273 MX$92.3K
31.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.9 €83.0
$36.34 MX$636
166.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 €29.92
$40.05 MX$701
-12.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.2 €66.1
$79.9 MX$1,398
-3.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 €87.5
$88.9 MX$1,555
15.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$849 €726
$963 MX$16.9K
-11.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 €569
$465 MX$8,133
42.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,848 €1,582
$1,596 MX$27.9K
15.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,246 €1,067
$1,209 MX$21.2K
3.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,357 €2,873
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-14.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,317 €1,983
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-64.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lloret de Mar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,428 €1,222
$720 MX$12.6K
98.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
11.42
-69.35%

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

Last update for Lloret de Mar: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $849 in Lloret de Mar and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lloret de Mar pays 98% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Lloret de Mar vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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
Lloret de Mar vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lloret de Mar or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Lloret de Mar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lloret de Mar or Playa del Carmen?
Lloret de Mar pays 98% more on average, 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 Lloret de Mar vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $849 in Lloret de Mar versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lloret de Mar and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $330 in Lloret de Mar versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lloret de Mar or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Lloret de Mar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Lloret de Mar or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,587 in Lloret de Mar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lloret de Mar. 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, Lloret de Mar or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Lloret de Mar compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Lloret de Mar 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lloret de Mar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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