Cost of Living Comparison Between Media, PA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Media, PA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,960 per month in Media, PA vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Media, PA vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,117 per month in Media, PA vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Media, PA costs about 135% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Media, PA sits 122% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$11.95 MX$208

69.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$41.94 MX$730

93.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.42 MX$181

15.45%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.51 MX$61.2

45.01%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$1.52 MX$26.39

53.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.91 MX$15.84

119.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.04 MX$52.9

102.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.71 $7.71

$4.37 MX$76.1

76.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.42 MX$24.73

-22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.83 MX$31.87

115.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.63 MX$28.45

174.85%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.54 MX$44.20

68.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$8.57 MX$149

57.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.49 MX$148

42.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$10.80 MX$188

49.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.75 MX$47.94

155.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.44 MX$25.00

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$1.89 MX$32.83

265.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.17 MX$37.77

140.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.78 MX$30.97

85.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.22 MX$38.71

31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.07 MX$18.60

130.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.08 MX$18.79

132.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.65 $12.65

$4.15 MX$72.2

204.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.01 $15.01

$10.45 MX$182

43.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.74 MX$30.34

31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.58 MX$44.92

55.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.51 MX$8.94

280.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.21 MX$55.9

-43.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.50 MX$43.55

-46.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 $21.93

$3.19 MX$55.4

587.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 MX$21.87

-26.19%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-13.89%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

6.46%

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

$273 $273

$82.0 MX$1,427

233.23%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$22.73 MX$395

149.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$29.42 MX$512

159.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.51 $43.51

$52.2 MX$908

-16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$4.93 MX$85.9

203.25%

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

$1,276 $1,276

$202 MX$3,511

532.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K $32.9K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

530.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 $50.7

$35.93 MX$625

40.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 $42.63

$40.33 MX$702

5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$79.9 MX$1,390

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$89.3 MX$1,554

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 $1,763

$948 MX$16.5K

85.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$465 MX$8,097

242.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 $2,534

$1,630 MX$28.4K

55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,133 $2,133

$1,193 MX$20.8K

78.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,034 $3,034

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-22.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,561 $2,561

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-60.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,922 $4,922

$658 MX$11.5K

647.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

11.42

-42.29%

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

Last update for Media, PA: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,763 in Media, PA versus $948 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 648% higher in Media, PA, 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 $81.0 in Media, PA versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $438 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Media, PA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,960 in Media, PA, $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 135% apart. Media, PA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,440 per month in Media, PA and $1,888 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 $81.0 in Media, PA and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Media, PA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Media, PA at $2,960. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Media, PA 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen to $2,960 in Media, PA. 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, Media, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.