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: $477 in Mary versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $716 in Mary versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Mary versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mary costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mary 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 TMT 38.02

$11.60 MX$200

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 TMT 29.07

$11.88 MX$205

-26.94%

Cappuccino

$8.65 TMT 28.96

$3.98 MX$68.6

117.34%

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

$12.92 TMT 43.27

$1.43 MX$24.60

803.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 TMT 4.92

$0.82 MX$14.22

79.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.37 TMT 48.13

$3.19 MX$55.0

350.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.31 TMT 37.90

$6.79 MX$117

66.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.80 TMT 9.37

$1.68 MX$28.89

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$6.99 TMT 23.42

$2.74 MX$47.26

155.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 TMT 7.52

$2.89 MX$49.81

-22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 TMT 4.71

$2.26 MX$38.96

-37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 TMT 6.79

$1.98 MX$34.15

2.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 TMT 5.63

$1.99 MX$34.30

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 TMT 3.89

$1.20 MX$20.63

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.33 TMT 58.1

$4.55 MX$78.5

280.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 TMT 715

$758 MX$13.1K

-71.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Mary: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 255% 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 166% 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, salaries run 255% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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 183% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Mary versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $477 in Mary versus $1,266 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 $477 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 166% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.