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: $1,596 in Madeira versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,338 in Madeira versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,080 in Madeira versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Madeira is roughly 23% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madeira is 19% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 €9.79

$11.73 MX$203

-3.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.81 €39.44

$41.62 MX$719

10.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 €7.95

$10.64 MX$184

-13.16%

Cappuccino

$2.18 €1.87

$3.52 MX$60.8

-38.07%

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

$1.86 €1.60

$1.51 MX$26.09

23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.97 MX$16.82

40.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.95 MX$51.0

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$4.45 MX$77.0

-24.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.38 MX$23.90

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.89 MX$32.69

-16.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.64 MX$28.29

0.61%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.69

$2.51 MX$43.30

24.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 €9.79

$8.34 MX$144

36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 €6.56

$8.34 MX$144

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 €12.27

$10.73 MX$185

32.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.60 MX$45.00

-12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.46 MX$25.18

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.90 MX$32.84

-6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.08 MX$35.88

24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.78 MX$30.68

-18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.19 MX$37.76

-13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.04 MX$17.97

55.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$1.08 MX$18.60

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.09

$4.08 MX$70.5

44.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 €4.44

$10.32 MX$178

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.71 MX$29.59

-25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.58 MX$44.50

-10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.51 MX$8.81

341.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 €36.64

$26.46 MX$457

60.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 €3.52

$3.26 MX$56.4

25.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$2.49 MX$43.05

-65.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.73

$3.25 MX$56.1

426.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.31 MX$22.59

51.15%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

14.40%

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

$39.4K €33.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

68.16%

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

$134 €115

$82.9 MX$1,432

61.17%

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

$21.61 €18.60

$22.22 MX$384

-2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 €36.13

$29.34 MX$507

43.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 €38.18

$51.6 MX$892

-14.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 €7.03

$5.07 MX$87.5

61.14%

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

$467 €402

$201 MX$3,470

132.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,341 €7,181

$5,212 MX$90.1K

60.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 €62.8

$36.92 MX$638

97.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 €33.44

$39.79 MX$688

-2.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.5

$78.5 MX$1,356

19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 €79.0

$87.1 MX$1,505

5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 €800

$973 MX$16.8K

-4.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 €622

$468 MX$8,082

54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 €1,251

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €986

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-6.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,071 €2,644

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-22.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,294 €1,975

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-64.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.42

-56.13%

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

Last update for Madeira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Madeira and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Madeira vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 vs $249, with Madeira cheaper for home cooking.

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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,394 in Madeira and $1,945 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: $930 in Madeira 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 $1,596 per month in Madeira versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 23% 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 61% less than in Madeira. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,596 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 23% less than in Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.