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 $2,466 per month in Marathon vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,508 per month in Marathon vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,549 per month in Marathon vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marathon costs about 95% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marathon sits 83% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$25.68

$11.61 MX$201

61.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 CA$81.9

$42.75 MX$742

39.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.60 CA$17.26

$10.60 MX$184

18.87%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.05

$3.59 MX$62.3

2.51%

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

$1.79 CA$2.46

$1.45 MX$25.21

23.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$0.90 MX$15.58

64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.13

$3.03 MX$52.6

71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CA$6.92

$4.56 MX$79.2

10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.36

$1.45 MX$25.20

68.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 CA$3.46

$1.83 MX$31.72

38.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.61 MX$27.92

62.11%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.03

$2.54 MX$44.05

15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.04

$8.54 MX$148

2.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 CA$23.12

$8.47 MX$147

99.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$21.95

$10.86 MX$189

47.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.93

$2.73 MX$47.37

31.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.49

$1.49 MX$25.91

-26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.57

$1.94 MX$33.73

72.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$2.16 MX$37.57

46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.69

$1.85 MX$32.05

45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 CA$1.35

$2.19 MX$38.00

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 CA$3.99

$1.07 MX$18.62

172.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CA$1.48

$1.08 MX$18.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$4.06 MX$70.5

128.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 CA$18.05

$10.46 MX$182

25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.17

$1.65 MX$28.71

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$2.55 MX$44.23

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.21

$0.56 MX$9.65

317.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$84.4

$26.20 MX$455

135.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.47

$3.14 MX$54.5

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.05

$2.37 MX$41.17

-37.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.99 CA$35.61

$3.24 MX$56.2

702.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.31 MX$22.81

-14.50%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-17.70%

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

$20.2K CA$27.7K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-15.18%

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

$206 CA$282

$83.1 MX$1,443

147.35%

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

$44.11 CA$60.4

$22.15 MX$385

99.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 CA$111

$29.37 MX$510

175.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 CA$57.6

$51.2 MX$889

-17.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$10.73 CA$14.70

$4.89 MX$84.9

119.43%

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

$737 CA$1,009

$199 MX$3,449

270.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

128.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 CA$81.7

$35.93 MX$624

66.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.03 CA$50.7

$39.39 MX$684

-5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 CA$106

$80.3 MX$1,394

-3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$191

$87.6 MX$1,520

59.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,799

$963 MX$16.7K

36.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,603

$482 MX$8,370

142.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CA$2,748

$1,645 MX$28.6K

21.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 CA$2,500

$1,192 MX$20.7K

53.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,406 CA$6,036

$3,957 MX$68.7K

11.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,723 CA$5,100

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-42.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,842 CA$2,523

$726 MX$12.6K

153.59%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,313 in Marathon versus $963 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 154% 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 $60 in Marathon versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $253 – 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 95%, 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 $3,700 per month in Marathon and $1,894 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 $199 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 42% 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 $1,262, than in Marathon at $2,466. 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.