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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Luquillo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,990 in Luquillo versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,747 in Luquillo versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Luquillo costs roughly 2% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luquillo 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.19 $19.19

$11.99 MX$210

60.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$41.78 MX$731

77.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 $7.36

$10.75 MX$188

-31.53%

Cappuccino

$3.61 $3.61

$3.50 MX$61.1

3.14%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$1.45 MX$25.33

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.88 MX$15.47

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.95 MX$51.6

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$4.51 MX$78.9

-55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.43 MX$25.04

76.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.84 MX$32.13

78.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.57 MX$27.42

42.68%

Eggs

$5.95 $5.95

$2.51 MX$43.92

137.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 $8.74

$8.28 MX$145

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$8.43 MX$147

2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 $12.87

$10.68 MX$187

20.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.61 MX$45.62

129.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.44 MX$25.15

89.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.96 MX$34.31

101.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.09 MX$36.62

97.61%

Potato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.85 MX$32.37

116.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.17 MX$37.90

18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.03 MX$18.04

46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.07 MX$18.78

85.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.04 $12.04

$4.10 MX$71.7

193.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.17 MX$178

18.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.68 MX$29.29

51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.53 MX$44.17

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$26.04 MX$455

133.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.41 MX$42.06

-36.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 $14.72

$3.23 MX$56.5

355.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.32 MX$23.10

-37.12%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

23.34%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

14.54%

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

$224 $224

$82.0 MX$1,434

172.63%

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

$79.1 $79.1

$22.95 MX$401

244.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 $74.1

$30.11 MX$527

146.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.02 $37.02

$52.0 MX$909

-28.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$4.98 MX$87.0

136.35%

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

$477 $477

$197 MX$3,452

141.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

94.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 $45.48

$35.60 MX$622

27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 $56.2

$40.33 MX$705

39.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$78.8 MX$1,377

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$88.9 MX$1,555

18.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 $814

$947 MX$16.6K

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 $1,796

$1,644 MX$28.7K

9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,024 $3,024

$654 MX$11.4K

362.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.73

11.42

-58.58%

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

Last update for Luquillo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $814 in Luquillo and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 362% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Luquillo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $249 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

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

Luquillo is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 362% higher in Luquillo, 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: $814 in Luquillo versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Luquillo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Luquillo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Luquillo 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 Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.