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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,487 in Mayaguez versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,221 in Mayaguez versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,955 in Mayaguez versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mayaguez is roughly 18% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayaguez is 12% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.06 $13.06

$11.72 MX$203

11.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$41.89 MX$725

40.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 $9.07

$10.51 MX$182

-13.70%

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$3.59 MX$62.0

1.95%

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

$1.34 $1.34

$1.51 MX$26.10

-11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.92 MX$15.83

33.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.96 MX$51.2

3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$4.41 MX$76.3

-8.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.40 MX$24.16

16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.88 MX$32.60

20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.56 MX$26.97

44.87%

Eggs

$2.81 $2.81

$2.61 MX$45.14

7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$8.32 MX$144

3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 $8.59

$8.35 MX$145

2.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$10.86 MX$188

-17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.71 MX$46.93

92.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.51 MX$26.04

74.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.87 MX$32.41

-34.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.19 MX$37.89

81.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.86 MX$32.14

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.23 MX$38.59

-49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.07 MX$18.48

113.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.09 MX$18.79

82.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$4.19 MX$72.4

138.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$10.43 MX$180

49.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.66 MX$28.68

53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.61 MX$45.19

24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.40 MX$41.61

-38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 $15.22

$3.13 MX$54.1

386.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.31 MX$22.69

-22.90%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

0.44%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

5.61%

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

$276 $276

$81.3 MX$1,406

239.78%

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

$79.0 $79.0

$22.56 MX$390

250.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$30.05 MX$520

117.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.77 $35.77

$52.9 MX$915

-32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 $7.92

$4.92 MX$85.1

60.98%

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

$475 $475

$201 MX$3,474

136.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

101.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 $46.07

$35.92 MX$622

28.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 $56.9

$40.13 MX$694

41.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 $64.0

$79.7 MX$1,379

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 $70.9

$86.5 MX$1,496

-18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 $590

$978 MX$16.9K

-39.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 $400

$470 MX$8,140

-15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,773 $1,773

$1,651 MX$28.6K

7.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 $627

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-47.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

11.42

-71.54%

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

Last update for Mayaguez: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $590 in Mayaguez and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Mayaguez vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,230 in Mayaguez and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $590 in Mayaguez versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $475 in Mayaguez versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $59.0 in Mayaguez. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,487 in Mayaguez, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mayaguez. 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 Mayaguez, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Mayaguez. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.