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: $2,433 in London versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in London versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,504 in London versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in London is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.47

$11.72 MX$203

55.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$103

$41.89 MX$725

75.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 CA$14.24

$10.51 MX$182

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.95

$3.59 MX$62.0

-1.67%

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

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.51 MX$26.10

29.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.63

$0.92 MX$15.83

103.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.12

$2.96 MX$51.2

95.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 CA$9.49

$4.41 MX$76.3

53.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.40 MX$24.16

16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 CA$3.35

$1.88 MX$32.60

27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.67

$1.56 MX$26.97

113.46%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.77

$2.61 MX$45.14

30.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 CA$13.98

$8.32 MX$144

19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 CA$17.53

$8.35 MX$145

49.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 CA$12.63

$10.86 MX$188

-17.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 CA$6.44

$2.71 MX$46.93

69.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.51 MX$26.04

-9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.95

$1.87 MX$32.41

88.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.35

$2.19 MX$37.89

74.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.86 MX$32.14

-13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.99

$2.23 MX$38.59

-4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.07 MX$18.48

98.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.09 MX$18.79

32.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.64 CA$17.72

$4.19 MX$72.4

201.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 CA$17.46

$10.43 MX$180

19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.90

$1.66 MX$28.68

24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.47

$2.61 MX$45.19

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$0.54 MX$9.37

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$26.16 MX$453

217.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$3.08 MX$53.3

29.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$2.40 MX$41.61

-26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.21 CA$43.73

$3.13 MX$54.1

897.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.31 MX$22.69

-16.03%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-15.44%

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

$20.8K CA$29.1K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-11.02%

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

$144 CA$202

$81.3 MX$1,406

77.12%

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

$47.77 CA$66.9

$22.56 MX$390

111.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.1

$30.05 MX$520

92.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.41 CA$59.4

$52.9 MX$915

-19.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.30 CA$10.24

$18.39 MX$318

-60.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.49

$4.92 MX$85.1

124.80%

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

$548 CA$768

$201 MX$3,474

172.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K CA$20.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

176.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.7

$35.92 MX$622

52.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.53 CA$65.2

$40.13 MX$694

15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 CA$121

$79.7 MX$1,379

8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CA$116

$86.5 MX$1,496

-3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 CA$2,052

$978 MX$16.9K

49.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,783

$470 MX$8,140

170.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 CA$3,654

$1,651 MX$28.6K

57.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 CA$2,794

$1,203 MX$20.8K

65.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,909

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-11.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,576 CA$5,011

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-45.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,941 CA$4,122

$677 MX$11.7K

334.71%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,464 in London and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 335% 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: $74.0 in London vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $252 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 335% 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: $1,464 in London versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in London versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% 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 217% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,433 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 93% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.