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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,170 per month in Madona vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Madona vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,450 per month in Madona vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madona is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Madona and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madona 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.97 €14.60

$11.71 MX$198

44.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.5

$46.59 MX$787

50.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 €8.20

$11.65 MX$197

-18.20%

Cappuccino

$3.92 €3.38

$4.09 MX$69.2

-4.16%

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

$1.60 €1.38

$1.37 MX$23.23

16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 €1.03

$0.83 MX$14.09

44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 €4.98

$3.35 MX$56.7

72.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 €3.99

$6.91 MX$117

-33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.73 MX$29.19

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.26 MX$38.20

-34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 €2.28

$1.77 MX$29.90

49.72%

Eggs

$3.79 €3.26

$2.73 MX$46.18

38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 €9.20

$9.18 MX$155

16.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 €7.53

$8.92 MX$151

-1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 €12.35

$12.60 MX$213

13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$3.02 MX$51.1

-24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.57 MX$26.54

18.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 €2.07

$2.13 MX$35.92

13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.26 MX$38.27

43.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 €0.77

$2.00 MX$33.87

-55.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$2.06 MX$34.89

-50.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.18 MX$19.94

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.20 MX$20.35

-19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.87

$4.63 MX$78.3

47.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 €6.83

$10.69 MX$181

-25.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.62 MX$27.37

25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.88 MX$48.69

-28.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 €2.95

$5.45 MX$92.1

-37.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.89

$3.70 MX$62.6

-71.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.49 €15.91

$5.98 MX$101

209.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.55 MX$26.25

34.19%

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

$27.9K €24.0K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

25.09%

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

$32.6K €28.0K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

25.55%

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

$386 €332

$89.1 MX$1,506

332.99%

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

$21.28 €18.31

$25.04 MX$423

-15.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.33 €17.49

$31.50 MX$532

-35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.82 €24.80

$67.8 MX$1,145

-57.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 €5.11

$5.05 MX$85.3

17.62%

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

$629 €541

$225 MX$3,802

179.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K €16.0K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

340.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.8 €62.7

$47.44 MX$802

53.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €44.10

$44.98 MX$760

13.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 €75.4

$82.0 MX$1,386

6.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 €122

$92.1 MX$1,556

53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

11.45

-59.48%

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

Last update for Madona: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madona versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Madona vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Madona wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,754 per month in Madona and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Madona and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Madona, where all-in costs run around $1,170, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Madona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Madona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Madona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.