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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,633 in Madeira versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,344 in Madeira versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,055 in Madeira versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Madeira is roughly 25% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madeira is 18% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 €9.94

$11.96 MX$203

-3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.11 €39.74

$47.38 MX$804

-2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 €8.08

$11.75 MX$199

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.06 €1.78

$4.12 MX$70.0

-50.00%

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

$1.94 €1.68

$1.40 MX$23.74

38.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.91 MX$15.48

49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 €2.01

$3.21 MX$54.4

-27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$7.07 MX$120

-52.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.68 MX$28.44

-33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.15 MX$36.48

-29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.77 MX$30.10

-6.21%

Eggs

$3.08 €2.66

$2.82 MX$47.76

9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 €9.85

$9.20 MX$156

24.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.64

$9.23 MX$157

-16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 €12.06

$12.64 MX$214

10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.95 MX$50.1

-19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.58 MX$26.79

-8.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.22 MX$37.70

-17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.36 MX$40.09

5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.99 MX$33.81

-26.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.98 MX$33.58

-7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.24 MX$21.04

28.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.68

$1.21 MX$20.55

-35.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.21 €5.36

$4.60 MX$78.1

35.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 €4.45

$10.52 MX$178

-50.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.69 MX$28.70

-26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.60 MX$10.22

293.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.88 €36.97

$29.70 MX$504

44.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 €3.69

$5.24 MX$88.8

-18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

$3.65 MX$61.9

-77.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.54 €15.12

$5.78 MX$98.1

203.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.54 MX$26.09

25.32%

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

$34.7K €29.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

52.24%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

55.02%

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

$132 €114

$90.7 MX$1,538

46.08%

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

$21.18 €18.25

$25.19 MX$427

-15.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.41 €36.56

$31.75 MX$539

33.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.51 €37.50

$68.8 MX$1,167

-36.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 €7.41

$4.86 MX$82.5

76.95%

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

$468 €403

$226 MX$3,828

107.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,477 €7,308

$4,194 MX$71.1K

102.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 €63.4

$47.38 MX$804

55.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.95 €32.71

$43.45 MX$737

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 €80.5

$80.2 MX$1,361

16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 €80.5

$91.4 MX$1,550

2.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 €804

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 €641

$409 MX$6,933

81.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 €1,253

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 €980

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-11.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,069 €2,646

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-24.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 €2,015

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-65.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.45

-56.24%

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

Last update for Madeira: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Madeira and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Madeira vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $278 per month, with Madeira 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,449 in Madeira and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Madeira versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,633 per month in Madeira versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 25% 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 44% less than in Madeira. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,633 in Madeira, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Madeira. 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 Madeira, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madeira 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 25% less than in Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.