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: $1,513 in Mayaguez versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Mayaguez versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,874 in Mayaguez versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayaguez is 13% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 $13.18

$11.94 MX$209

10.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$42.75 MX$748

38.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 $8.98

$10.59 MX$185

-15.20%

Cappuccino

$3.62 $3.62

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.30 $1.30

$1.47 MX$25.69

-11.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.94 MX$16.51

37.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.09 MX$54.1

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.46 MX$78.0

-10.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.43 MX$24.94

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.88 MX$32.97

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.63 MX$28.50

33.13%

Eggs

$2.76 $2.76

$2.64 MX$46.26

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$8.21 MX$144

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$8.29 MX$145

2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.38 $9.38

$11.10 MX$194

-15.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.65 MX$46.40

107.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.50 MX$26.26

82.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.99 MX$34.79

-38.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.08 MX$36.33

96.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.79 MX$31.29

-10.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.18 MX$38.09

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.08 MX$18.84

113.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.04 MX$18.15

89.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$3.97 MX$69.5

152.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$10.20 MX$179

51.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.73 MX$30.22

46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.50 MX$43.71

29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.40 MX$42.04

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.86 $14.86

$3.09 MX$54.0

380.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.27 MX$22.28

-20.47%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-3.90%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

6.98%

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

$270 $270

$82.0 MX$1,435

229.68%

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

$80.6 $80.6

$22.45 MX$393

259.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$29.66 MX$519

122.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.13 $36.13

$51.9 MX$908

-30.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 $8.22

$4.97 MX$87.0

65.39%

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

$471 $471

$198 MX$3,462

138.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

95.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.32 $45.32

$36.34 MX$636

24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 $57.0

$40.05 MX$701

42.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 $64.6

$79.9 MX$1,398

-19.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$88.9 MX$1,555

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 $592

$963 MX$16.9K

-38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 $393

$465 MX$8,133

-15.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 $1,827

$1,596 MX$27.9K

14.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 $632

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-47.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $592 in Mayaguez and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Mayaguez vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $251 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 $2,270 in Mayaguez and $1,930 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: $592 in Mayaguez versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $471 in Mayaguez versus $198 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 $43.00 versus $59.0 in Mayaguez. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,513 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.