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: $2,413 in London versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,451 in London versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,490 in London versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in London is roughly 91% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.91 CA$30.65

$11.60 MX$200

88.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.4 CA$90.1

$47.11 MX$812

36.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.45 CA$17.42

$11.88 MX$205

4.80%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$3.98 MX$68.6

-4.77%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.43 MX$24.60

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$0.82 MX$14.22

168.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 CA$8.87

$3.19 MX$55.0

98.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.17

$6.79 MX$117

-3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 CA$2.83

$1.68 MX$28.89

20.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$2.20 MX$37.88

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.66

$1.71 MX$29.45

136.84%

Eggs

$3.78 CA$5.28

$2.74 MX$47.26

37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.23

$9.58 MX$165

6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 CA$16.55

$9.01 MX$155

31.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 CA$21.50

$12.81 MX$221

19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.09

$2.89 MX$49.81

50.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.50 MX$25.81

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.50

$2.15 MX$37.03

82.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.74

$2.26 MX$38.96

81.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.39

$1.98 MX$34.15

58.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.44

$1.99 MX$34.30

59.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.51

$1.23 MX$21.28

104.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.20 MX$20.63

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 CA$16.86

$4.55 MX$78.5

164.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.34 CA$17.27

$10.37 MX$179

19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.57

$1.62 MX$27.91

57.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$2.88 MX$49.67

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.31

$0.60 MX$10.35

295.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 CA$114

$28.80 MX$497

182.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$5.39 MX$92.9

-52.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 CA$2.31

$3.73 MX$64.3

-55.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.58 CA$31.59

$5.77 MX$99.5

291.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.54 MX$26.48

-20.13%

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

$28.1K CA$39.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

24.77%

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

$24.1K CA$33.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-7.65%

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

$139 CA$194

$91.4 MX$1,576

51.59%

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

$41.37 CA$57.9

$25.20 MX$435

64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$78.9

$31.24 MX$539

80.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 CA$53.4

$67.2 MX$1,159

-43.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.95 CA$40.50

$29.11 MX$502

-0.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$15.00

$4.86 MX$83.8

120.78%

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

$426 CA$596

$224 MX$3,856

90.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K CA$28.6K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

384.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$75.5

$47.10 MX$812

14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 CA$55.7

$44.29 MX$764

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$80.1 MX$1,381

4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 CA$127

$92.7 MX$1,598

-1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 CA$1,778

$1,063 MX$18.3K

19.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 CA$1,617

$390 MX$6,728

196.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 CA$2,951

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CA$2,375

$1,272 MX$21.9K

33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,526 CA$4,932

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-11.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,696 CA$5,170

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-43.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,971 CA$4,156

$758 MX$13.1K

291.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

11.45

-58.78%

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

Last update for London: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,271 in London and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 292% 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: $64.0 in London vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $276 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 292% higher in London, 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: $1,271 in London versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,413 per month in London versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 91% 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 182% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,413 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 91% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.