Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lousã and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,624 in Lousã, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lousã, Portugal
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lousã
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,624
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lousã and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lousã and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,624 per month in Lousã vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Lousã $1,624
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,372 per month in Lousã vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Lousã $2,372
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,120 per month in Lousã vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Lousã $3,120
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Lousã costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Lousã sits 19% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.58 €12.16
$10.92 MX$205
24.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.12 €42.20
$43.37 MX$814
8.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.95 €8.02
$11.78 MX$221
-24.02%
Cappuccino
$2.13 €1.90
$3.81 MX$71.5
-44.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.28 MX$24.07
58.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$0.78 MX$14.70
82.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.22 €1.99
$3.17 MX$59.5
-29.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 €2.46
$4.93 MX$92.7
-44.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 €0.91
$1.41 MX$26.40
-28.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.36
$2.22 MX$41.62
-31.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.42 MX$26.61
22.54%
Eggs
$2.90 €2.59
$2.52 MX$47.36
15.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.72 €10.49
$7.26 MX$136
61.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 €6.90
$7.70 MX$144
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.43 €12.93
$12.69 MX$238
13.71%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 €1.69
$2.78 MX$52.3
-32.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 €1.36
$1.37 MX$25.68
10.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$2.55 MX$47.89
-27.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.41 €2.16
$2.12 MX$39.86
13.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.94 MX$36.39
-8.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 €1.78
$1.89 MX$35.41
5.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 €1.38
$1.15 MX$21.53
33.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 €0.63
$1.18 MX$22.13
-40.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.26 €5.61
$4.30 MX$80.6
45.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.57 €4.09
$9.95 MX$187
-54.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 €1.18
$1.58 MX$29.73
-17.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.91
$2.67 MX$50.1
-20.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.08 €1.86
$0.55 MX$10.39
278.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.95 €35.78
$26.62 MX$500
50.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.48 €4.01
$4.97 MX$93.3
-9.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.40 €1.26
$3.33 MX$62.5
-57.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.78 €12.35
$5.36 MX$101
157.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.92
$1.44 MX$27.11
49.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K €29.8K
$20.7K MX$388.0K
61.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K €33.1K
$23.5K MX$440.5K
57.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 €94.3
$84.8 MX$1,592
24.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.49 €15.66
$23.41 MX$439
-25.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.02 €29.57
$28.66 MX$538
15.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.18 €36.88
$57.1 MX$1,071
-27.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.92 €13.37
$28.91 MX$543
-48.39%
Cinema Ticket
$8.23 €7.37
$5.14 MX$96.5
60.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$450 €403
$207 MX$3,878
117.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,352 €5,689
$3,927 MX$73.7K
61.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.9 €85.0
$43.35 MX$814
118.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.35 €32.55
$41.44 MX$778
-12.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 €67.3
$74.2 MX$1,393
1.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 €92.3
$89.3 MX$1,676
15.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$959 €859
$980 MX$18.4K
-2.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$778 €696
$381 MX$7,150
104.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,629 €1,459
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-4.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 €1,060
$1,075 MX$20.2K
10.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,734 €2,449
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-30.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,461 €2,204
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-60.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lousã
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.7
11.45
-67.69%

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

Last update for Lousã: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lousã
$778
Playa del Carmen
$381 51% $397
Groceries & Markets
Lousã
$243
Playa del Carmen
$255 5% $12
Eating Out
Lousã
$191
Playa del Carmen
$202 5.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lousã
$156
Playa del Carmen
$137 12.2% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Lousã
$139
Playa del Carmen
$112 19.8% $28
Getting Around
Lousã
$60
Playa del Carmen
$50 15.6% $9.3
Sport & Entertainment
Lousã
$58
Playa del Carmen
$67 16.8% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Lousã versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Lousã versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Lousã vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Lousã wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lousã
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
05:06 5:06 AM
00:06 12:06 AM
5 h behind Lousã
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,007
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 21.02 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lousã Playa del Carmen 7,620 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lousã
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Lousã vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lousã and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,624 in Lousã, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Lousã compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,436 per month in Lousã and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Lousã and in Playa del Carmen?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $959 in Lousã and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Lousã and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lousã or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,624 in Lousã and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 26% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Lousã at $1,624. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lousã it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lousã and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,624 in Lousã. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Lousã vs other spots: cost of living compared

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