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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,635 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,882 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$184

$11.94 MX$209

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 MX$795

$42.75 MX$748

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$148

$10.59 MX$185

-20.30%

Cappuccino

$3.39 MX$59.3

$3.62 MX$63.4

-6.35%

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

$1.38 MX$24.17

$1.47 MX$25.69

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$18.03

$0.94 MX$16.51

9.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MX$34.87

$3.09 MX$54.1

-35.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.89

$4.46 MX$78.0

-42.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.65

$1.43 MX$24.94

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.67

$1.88 MX$32.97

35.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.55

$1.63 MX$28.50

28.22%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.59

$2.64 MX$46.26

-12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$135

$8.21 MX$144

-6.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 MX$114

$8.29 MX$145

-21.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 MX$129

$11.10 MX$194

-33.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$47.12

$2.65 MX$46.40

1.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.32

$1.50 MX$26.26

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.02

$1.99 MX$34.79

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MX$13.00

$2.08 MX$36.33

-64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.15

$1.79 MX$31.29

21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.56

$2.18 MX$38.09

16.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$22.11

$1.08 MX$18.84

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.04 MX$18.15

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$71.2

$3.97 MX$69.5

2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.08 MX$281

$10.20 MX$179

57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.89

$1.73 MX$30.22

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.6

$2.50 MX$43.71

24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.58

$0.52 MX$9.07

26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 MX$690

$26.97 MX$472

46.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 MX$58.5

$3.14 MX$55.0

6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$32.05

$2.40 MX$42.04

-23.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 MX$143

$3.09 MX$54.0

164.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.75

$1.27 MX$22.28

2.36%

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

$21.3K MX$372.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-31.10%

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

$22.3K MX$390.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-4.20%

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

$56.0 MX$980

$82.0 MX$1,435

-31.73%

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

$21.20 MX$371

$22.45 MX$393

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 MX$725

$29.66 MX$519

39.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 MX$748

$51.9 MX$908

-17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$280

$18.67 MX$327

-14.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MX$70.9

$4.97 MX$87.0

-18.51%

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

$83.3 MX$1,457

$198 MX$3,462

-57.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 MX$33.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-63.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MX$1,059

$36.34 MX$636

66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 MX$456

$40.05 MX$701

-34.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,835

$79.9 MX$1,398

31.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,365

$88.9 MX$1,555

-12.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MX$15.2K

$963 MX$16.9K

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 MX$15.3K

$465 MX$8,133

88.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 MX$24.6K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-12.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 MX$18.8K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-10.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 MX$28.6K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-58.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MX$19.0K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-83.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MX$9,641

$720 MX$12.6K

-23.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.42

-0.79%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Mazatlan versus $963 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 31% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Mazatlan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Mazatlan vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Mazatlan 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,635 in Mazatlan, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,452 per month in Mazatlan and $1,930 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.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $83.3 per month in Mazatlan and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,635 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.