Cost of Living Comparison Between Mata Utu and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mata Utu and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $5,531 per month in Mata Utu vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,896 per month in Mata Utu vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,261 per month in Mata Utu vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mata Utu costs about 324% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Mata Utu sits 301% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 CFPF 1,179

$11.96 MX$203

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 CFPF 11.9K

$47.38 MX$804

144.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$7.98 CFPF 818

$4.12 MX$70.0

93.69%

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

$5.75 CFPF 589

$1.40 MX$23.74

310.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CFPF 367

$0.91 MX$15.48

293.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CFPF 601

$7.07 MX$120

-17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

Lettuce (1 head)

$11.64 CFPF 1,193

$1.24 MX$21.04

838.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 CFPF 466

$1.21 MX$20.55

276.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.70 CFPF 1,813

$4.60 MX$78.1

284.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.37 CFPF 1,780

$10.52 MX$178

65.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 CFPF 196

$1.54 MX$26.09

24.03%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$151 CFPF 15.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

67.06%

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

$118 CFPF 12.1K

$25.19 MX$427

368.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3,529 CFPF 361.5K

$31.75 MX$539

11013.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$229 CFPF 23.4K

$47.38 MX$804

382.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$93.5 CFPF 9,583

$43.45 MX$737

115.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$235 CFPF 24.0K

$80.2 MX$1,361

192.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$288 CFPF 29.5K

$91.4 MX$1,550

215.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 CFPF 94.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 CFPF 95.7K

$409 MX$6,933

128.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,306 CFPF 236.2K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

16.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,304 CFPF 236.1K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

79.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,528 CFPF 361.5K

$773 MX$13.1K

356.25%

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 Mata Utu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $925 in Mata Utu versus $1,086 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 356% higher in Mata Utu, 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 $116 in Mata Utu versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $136 in Mata Utu vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Mata Utu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $5,531 in Mata Utu, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 324% apart. Mata Utu costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $8,297 per month in Mata Utu and $1,958 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 $116 in Mata Utu and $47.00 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 $5,531 in Mata Utu and $1,305 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 $1,305, than in Mata Utu at $5,531. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mata Utu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $5,531 in Mata Utu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Mata Utu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.