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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $384 in Mary versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $581 in Mary versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $777 in Mary versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mary costs roughly 70% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mary 71% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 TMT 39.15

$11.87 MX$204

-1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 TMT 28.04

$10.65 MX$183

-21.60%

Cappuccino

$8.62 TMT 28.97

$3.45 MX$59.2

149.86%

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

$6.39 TMT 21.46

$1.50 MX$25.81

326.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 TMT 4.70

$0.95 MX$16.28

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 TMT 22.02

$3.03 MX$51.9

116.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.33 TMT 38.08

$4.61 MX$79.1

145.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.81 TMT 9.44

$1.38 MX$23.61

103.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$7.01 TMT 23.56

$2.59 MX$44.51

170.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TMT 3.88

$1.09 MX$18.67

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 TMT 717

$667 MX$11.4K

-68.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Mary: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 213% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

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

Mary wins on cost – living expenses run 231% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 213% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 257% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $384 per month in Mary versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 231% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $384 in Mary versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $384 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mary hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mary 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 Mary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 231% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.