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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Martin versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Martin versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,742 in Martin versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Martin is roughly 17% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Martin is 11% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 €8.05

$11.72 MX$204

-21.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.27 €40.34

$41.89 MX$731

10.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 €7.87

$10.51 MX$183

-14.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 €2.59

$3.59 MX$62.5

-17.27%

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

$1.83 €1.59

$1.51 MX$26.31

21.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.18

$0.92 MX$15.96

46.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.96 MX$51.6

-25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 €2.04

$4.41 MX$76.9

-46.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.40 MX$24.35

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.88 MX$32.87

-26.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$1.56 MX$27.19

32.05%

Eggs

$3.57 €3.11

$2.61 MX$45.50

36.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 €13.93

$8.32 MX$145

92.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 €6.74

$8.35 MX$146

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.36 €11.65

$10.86 MX$189

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 €1.07

$2.71 MX$47.31

-54.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.51 MX$26.25

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.87 MX$32.67

25.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.19 MX$38.19

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.86 MX$32.40

-24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.23 MX$38.90

-21.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 €1.46

$1.07 MX$18.63

57.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$1.09 MX$18.94

-30.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 €5.02

$4.19 MX$73.0

37.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 €4.11

$10.43 MX$182

-54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.88

$1.66 MX$28.91

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.06

$2.61 MX$45.56

-9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.54 MX$9.45

172.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.75 €25.06

$26.16 MX$456

9.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 €1.20

$3.08 MX$53.7

-55.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.12

$2.40 MX$41.94

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 €20.56

$3.13 MX$54.5

653.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.31 MX$22.87

38.93%

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

$23.3K €20.3K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-21.94%

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

$25.7K €22.4K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

10.06%

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

$315 €275

$81.3 MX$1,418

287.67%

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

$27.82 €24.25

$22.56 MX$393

23.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.90 €11.25

$30.05 MX$524

-57.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 €32.71

$52.9 MX$923

-29.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 €15.03

$18.39 MX$321

-6.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 €8.37

$4.92 MX$85.8

95.12%

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

$342 €298

$201 MX$3,502

70.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,301 €6,365

$5,175 MX$90.2K

41.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 €59.4

$35.92 MX$627

89.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 €12.33

$40.13 MX$700

-64.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 €64.6

$79.7 MX$1,390

-7.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €92.6

$86.5 MX$1,508

22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 €449

$978 MX$17.1K

-47.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 €407

$470 MX$8,206

-0.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 €670

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-53.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 €602

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-42.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 €2,033

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-41.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 €1,565

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-72.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 €1,317

$677 MX$11.8K

123.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

11.42

-61.56%

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

Last update for Martin: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Martin and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 123% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Martin vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 123% higher in Martin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Martin versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,481 per month in Martin versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 10% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,481 in Martin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Martin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Martin and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.