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 $2,404 per month in Marathon vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,402 per month in Marathon vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,401 per month in Marathon vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Marathon costs about 89% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marathon sits 79% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.86

$11.87 MX$204

56.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 CA$83.7

$42.90 MX$736

39.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 CA$17.37

$10.65 MX$183

16.81%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.30

$3.45 MX$59.2

9.86%

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

$1.88 CA$2.63

$1.50 MX$25.81

25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$0.95 MX$16.28

53.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 CA$7.54

$3.03 MX$51.9

78.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.08

$4.61 MX$79.1

9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$1.38 MX$23.61

77.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.85 MX$31.70

36.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.56

$1.61 MX$27.65

58.39%

Eggs

$2.87 CA$4.01

$2.59 MX$44.51

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 CA$12.25

$8.26 MX$142

6.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.53 CA$23.08

$8.37 MX$144

97.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.42

$10.66 MX$183

50.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.78

$2.63 MX$45.12

30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.49 MX$25.53

-22.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.60

$1.92 MX$32.94

71.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$2.09 MX$35.81

51.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.86 MX$31.88

39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CA$1.36

$2.26 MX$38.81

-57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$1.06 MX$18.23

184.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.09 MX$18.67

3.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 CA$12.66

$4.15 MX$71.2

118.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CA$17.58

$10.39 MX$178

21.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.72 MX$29.59

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$2.61 MX$44.85

5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$0.54 MX$9.30

329.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.2

$26.94 MX$462

134.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 CA$4.59

$3.13 MX$53.7

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.51 MX$43.09

-42.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.74

$3.15 MX$54.1

712.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.27 MX$21.88

-9.45%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.52%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.83%

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

$200 CA$279

$83.0 MX$1,425

140.39%

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

$43.96 CA$61.4

$22.71 MX$390

93.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.7 CA$114

$29.46 MX$506

177.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.72 CA$59.7

$51.0 MX$875

-16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 CA$15.13

$4.93 MX$84.5

119.88%

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

$734 CA$1,025

$197 MX$3,386

272.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

122.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$82.4

$36.90 MX$633

59.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.75 CA$51.3

$39.89 MX$685

-7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CA$108

$80.0 MX$1,373

-3.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 CA$197

$89.5 MX$1,536

57.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,800

$956 MX$16.4K

34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,625

$477 MX$8,189

143.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,781

$1,646 MX$28.3K

20.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 CA$2,539

$1,225 MX$21.0K

48.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,374 CA$6,108

$3,918 MX$67.2K

11.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,900 CA$5,447

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-39.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,824 CA$2,547

$667 MX$11.4K

173.47%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Marathon versus $956 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 173% 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 $60.0 in Marathon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $250 – 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 89%, 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 $3,605 per month in Marathon and $1,906 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 $734 per month in Marathon and $197 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 $1,271, than in Marathon at $2,404. 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.