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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,413 per month in Marathon vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,456 per month in Marathon vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,498 per month in Marathon vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marathon costs about 92% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marathon sits 81% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.60

$11.72 MX$204

55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 CA$83.4

$41.89 MX$731

41.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 CA$17.63

$10.51 MX$183

19.51%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.16

$3.59 MX$62.5

2.51%

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

$1.89 CA$2.65

$1.51 MX$26.31

25.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.07

$0.92 MX$15.96

59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 CA$7.41

$2.96 MX$51.6

78.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CA$7.07

$4.41 MX$76.9

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.40 MX$24.35

72.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.88 MX$32.87

35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 CA$3.61

$1.56 MX$27.19

64.74%

Eggs

$2.95 CA$4.14

$2.61 MX$45.50

13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 CA$12.34

$8.32 MX$145

5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.85 CA$23.65

$8.35 MX$146

101.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.23 CA$22.78

$10.86 MX$189

49.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.95

$2.71 MX$47.31

30.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.51 MX$26.25

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$1.87 MX$32.67

77.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$2.19 MX$38.19

52.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$1.86 MX$32.40

43.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CA$1.37

$2.23 MX$38.90

-56.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$1.07 MX$18.63

171.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.09 MX$18.94

3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 CA$12.64

$4.19 MX$73.0

114.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 CA$17.26

$10.43 MX$182

17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.66 MX$28.91

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.88

$2.61 MX$45.56

6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$0.54 MX$9.45

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 CA$89.2

$26.16 MX$456

142.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.57

$3.08 MX$53.7

5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$2.40 MX$41.94

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.71 CA$36.09

$3.13 MX$54.5

721.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.31 MX$22.87

-15.27%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-15.39%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-12.74%

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

$199 CA$280

$81.3 MX$1,418

145.21%

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

$44.64 CA$62.7

$22.56 MX$393

97.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.8 CA$113

$30.05 MX$524

168.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 CA$59.2

$52.9 MX$923

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$10.47 CA$14.70

$4.92 MX$85.8

112.80%

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

$737 CA$1,034

$201 MX$3,502

266.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

128.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$83.7

$35.92 MX$627

65.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.13 CA$50.7

$40.13 MX$700

-9.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 CA$105

$79.7 MX$1,390

-6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$86.5 MX$1,508

62.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,844

$978 MX$17.1K

34.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 CA$1,649

$470 MX$8,206

149.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 CA$2,830

$1,651 MX$28.8K

22.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 CA$2,589

$1,203 MX$21.0K

53.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 CA$5,934

$3,953 MX$69.0K

6.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,583 CA$5,029

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-45.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,791 CA$2,514

$677 MX$11.8K

164.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

11.42

-45.80%

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

Last update for Marathon: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,314 in Marathon versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 165% higher in Marathon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Marathon versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,620 per month in Marathon and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $737 per month in Marathon and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Marathon, 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Marathon at $2,413. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.