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: $1,241 in Luquillo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,998 in Luquillo versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,754 in Luquillo versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Luquillo costs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Luquillo 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.65 $18.65

$11.73 MX$203

58.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$41.62 MX$720

78.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 $7.48

$10.64 MX$184

-29.70%

Cappuccino

$3.54 $3.54

$3.52 MX$60.9

0.57%

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

$1.27 $1.27

$1.51 MX$26.12

-15.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.97 MX$16.84

9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.95 MX$51.0

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.45 MX$77.0

-56.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.38 MX$23.93

78.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.89 MX$32.72

76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.64 MX$28.32

33.54%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.51 MX$43.34

137.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$8.34 MX$144

3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.38 $8.38

$8.34 MX$144

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 $12.55

$10.73 MX$186

16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.60 MX$45.04

121.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.46 MX$25.20

84.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.90 MX$32.87

109.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.08 MX$35.91

94.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.78 MX$30.71

120.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.19 MX$37.80

21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.04 MX$17.99

43.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.08 MX$18.62

85.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$4.08 MX$70.6

195.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.81 $11.81

$10.32 MX$178

14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.71 MX$29.61

49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.58 MX$44.54

25.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 $60.4

$26.46 MX$458

128.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.49 MX$43.09

-40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 $14.95

$3.25 MX$56.2

360.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.31 MX$22.61

-35.11%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.91%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

12.61%

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

$225 $225

$82.9 MX$1,433

171.45%

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

$78.0 $78.0

$22.22 MX$384

251.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$29.34 MX$507

147.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.60 $36.60

$51.6 MX$893

-29.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$5.07 MX$87.6

140.43%

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

$461 $461

$201 MX$3,473

129.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

101.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.94 $45.94

$36.92 MX$639

24.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 $56.9

$39.79 MX$688

43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 $81.8

$78.5 MX$1,357

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$87.1 MX$1,506

24.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$799 $799

$973 MX$16.8K

-17.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$1,641 MX$28.4K

11.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 $2,999

$664 MX$11.5K

351.66%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $799 in Luquillo and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 352% 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 $367 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Luquillo pays 352% 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: $799 in Luquillo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,241 per month in Luquillo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 128% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,241 in Luquillo versus $1,297 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 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.