Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon, FL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Marathon, FL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,737 in Marathon, FL versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,951 in Marathon, FL versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,165 in Marathon, FL versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Marathon, FL is roughly 117% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Marathon, FL is 106% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$11.72 MX$204

73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 $75.0

$41.89 MX$731

78.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$10.51 MX$183

-3.71%

Cappuccino

$6.32 $6.32

$3.59 MX$62.6

76.04%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$1.51 MX$26.32

90.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.92 MX$15.97

115.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.96 MX$51.6

106.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.41 MX$77.0

109.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.40 MX$24.36

-26.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.88 MX$32.88

56.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.56 MX$27.20

225.00%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.61 MX$45.52

73.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.49 $21.49

$8.32 MX$145

158.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$8.35 MX$146

68.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$10.86 MX$189

40.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.71 MX$47.33

67.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.51 MX$26.27

9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$1.87 MX$32.69

204.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$2.19 MX$38.21

153.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.86 MX$32.41

103.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.23 MX$38.92

73.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.07 MX$18.64

82.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.09 MX$18.95

80.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 $8.69

$4.19 MX$73.1

107.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 $13.22

$10.43 MX$182

26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.66 MX$28.92

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.61 MX$45.58

-24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.54 MX$9.45

279.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.08 MX$53.7

-17.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.40 MX$41.96

-33.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.74 $29.74

$3.13 MX$54.6

850.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 MX$22.88

-31.30%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$29.8K MX$520.1K

21.07%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$23.3K MX$407.0K

17.68%

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

$260 $260

$81.3 MX$1,418

219.60%

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

$46.34 $46.34

$22.56 MX$394

105.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$30.05 MX$524

102.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.33 $42.33

$52.9 MX$923

-20.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$4.92 MX$85.9

199.39%

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

$1,105 $1,105

$201 MX$3,504

450.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$5,175 MX$90.3K

355.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$35.92 MX$627

47.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 $33.68

$40.13 MX$700

-16.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$79.7 MX$1,391

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$86.5 MX$1,509

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$978 MX$17.1K

66.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$470 MX$8,210

190.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$1,651 MX$28.8K

60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 $2,255

$1,203 MX$21.0K

87.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,977 $2,977

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-24.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 $2,263

$6,607 MX$115.3K

-65.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.42

-42.82%

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

Last update for Marathon, FL: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,630 in Marathon, FL and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Marathon, FL vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $252 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

Marathon, FL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marathon, FL and Playa del Carmen differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($2,737 vs $1,260 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,106 in Marathon, FL and $1,890 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: $1,630 in Marathon, FL versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,737 per month in Marathon, FL versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,737 in Marathon, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Marathon, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.