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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,471 in London versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in London versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in London versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in London is roughly 92% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 CA$25.46

$11.94 MX$209

55.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$99.9

$42.75 MX$748

70.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 CA$14.07

$10.59 MX$185

-3.02%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.91

$3.62 MX$63.4

-1.10%

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

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.47 MX$25.69

29.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$0.94 MX$16.51

97.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.13

$3.09 MX$54.1

91.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.30

$4.46 MX$78.0

52.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 CA$3.28

$1.88 MX$32.97

27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.61

$1.63 MX$28.50

106.75%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.63

$2.64 MX$46.26

28.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 CA$13.44

$8.21 MX$144

19.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 CA$16.69

$8.29 MX$145

46.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.03 CA$12.38

$11.10 MX$194

-18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.14

$2.65 MX$46.40

69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.87

$1.50 MX$26.26

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.94

$1.99 MX$34.79

81.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.29

$2.08 MX$36.33

85.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.32

$1.79 MX$31.29

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.18 MX$38.09

-5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 CA$2.89

$1.08 MX$18.84

95.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.04 MX$18.15

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 CA$17.08

$3.97 MX$69.5

214.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.20

$10.20 MX$179

30.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$2.95

$1.73 MX$30.22

24.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.50 MX$43.71

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$0.52 MX$9.07

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.9 CA$112

$26.97 MX$472

203.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 CA$5.61

$3.14 MX$55.0

30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.40

$2.40 MX$42.04

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.05 CA$42.54

$3.09 MX$54.0

904.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.53

$1.27 MX$22.28

-12.60%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-18.08%

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

$20.4K CA$27.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-12.57%

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

$143 CA$196

$82.0 MX$1,435

74.49%

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

$46.69 CA$64.0

$22.45 MX$393

107.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CA$80.0

$29.66 MX$519

96.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 CA$57.9

$51.9 MX$908

-18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 CA$10.03

$18.67 MX$327

-60.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.02 CA$15.10

$4.97 MX$87.0

121.73%

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

$554 CA$759

$198 MX$3,462

179.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

169.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$75.7

$36.34 MX$636

52.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.60 CA$63.8

$40.05 MX$701

16.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$117

$79.9 MX$1,398

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 CA$111

$88.9 MX$1,555

-8.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CA$1,997

$963 MX$16.9K

51.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$465 MX$8,133

181.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 CA$3,526

$1,596 MX$27.9K

61.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CA$2,739

$1,209 MX$21.2K

65.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,587 CA$4,915

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,702 CA$5,071

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-42.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,024 CA$4,142

$720 MX$12.6K

319.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.42

-45.62%

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

Last update for London: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,457 in London and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 320% 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: $73.0 in London vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 320% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,457 in London versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,471 per month in London versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 204% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,471 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, London 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.