Cost of Living Comparison Between Margaret River and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Margaret River and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,219 per month in Margaret River vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,243 per month in Margaret River vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,267 per month in Margaret River vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Margaret River costs about 72% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Margaret River sits 66% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 A$22.42

$11.94 MX$209

34.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 A$109

$42.75 MX$748

82.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 A$14.59

$10.59 MX$185

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$3.59 A$5.03

$3.62 MX$63.4

-0.83%

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

$2.46 A$3.44

$1.47 MX$25.69

67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 A$2.83

$0.94 MX$16.51

114.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 A$11.09

$3.09 MX$54.1

156.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.39 A$8.95

$4.46 MX$78.0

43.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.96

$1.43 MX$24.94

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 A$3.32

$1.88 MX$32.97

26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 A$2.72

$1.63 MX$28.50

19.02%

Eggs

$4.62 A$6.47

$2.64 MX$46.26

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 A$12.07

$8.21 MX$144

4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 A$11.59

$8.29 MX$145

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 A$19.28

$11.10 MX$194

24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 A$4.92

$2.65 MX$46.40

32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.14

$1.50 MX$26.26

97.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.14

$1.99 MX$34.79

48.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 A$6.47

$2.08 MX$36.33

122.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 A$3.42

$1.79 MX$31.29

36.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 A$2.42

$2.18 MX$38.09

-20.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 A$2.82

$1.08 MX$18.84

86.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 A$2.02

$1.04 MX$18.15

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.10 A$44.94

$3.97 MX$69.5

708.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 A$14.81

$10.20 MX$179

3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.76 A$5.27

$1.73 MX$30.22

117.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 A$5.71

$2.50 MX$43.71

63.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.70

$0.52 MX$9.07

407.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 A$90.0

$26.97 MX$472

138.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.68

$3.14 MX$55.0

29.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 A$3.02

$2.40 MX$42.04

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.4 A$70.5

$3.09 MX$54.0

1529.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.63

$1.27 MX$22.28

-8.66%

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

$28.4K A$39.8K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-8.02%

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

$24.4K A$34.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

4.76%

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

$159 A$222

$82.0 MX$1,435

93.65%

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

$28.55 A$39.97

$22.45 MX$393

27.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 A$77.0

$29.66 MX$519

85.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 A$68.4

$51.9 MX$908

-5.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 A$22.04

$18.67 MX$327

-15.69%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 A$22.90

$4.97 MX$87.0

229.18%

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

$1,773 A$2,482

$198 MX$3,462

796.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$16.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

126.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 A$96.5

$36.34 MX$636

89.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.56 A$68.0

$40.05 MX$701

21.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 A$145

$79.9 MX$1,398

29.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$147

$88.9 MX$1,555

17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 A$1,800

$963 MX$16.9K

33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 A$1,488

$465 MX$8,133

128.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 A$2,767

$1,596 MX$27.9K

23.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 A$2,367

$1,209 MX$21.2K

39.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,547 A$9,166

$3,942 MX$69.0K

66.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,588 A$7,824

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,025 A$4,235

$720 MX$12.6K

319.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

11.42

-43.78%

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

Last update for Margaret River: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,286 in Margaret River 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 320% higher in Margaret River, 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 $78.0 in Margaret River versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Margaret River is pricier by about 72%, 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 $3,329 per month in Margaret River and $1,930 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Margaret River and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,219 in Margaret River and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Margaret River at $2,219. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Margaret River 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, Margaret River makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.