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 $2,990 per month in Media, PA vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,047 per month in Media, PA vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,103 per month in Media, PA vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Media, PA costs about 137% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Media, PA sits 123% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$11.67 MX$202

69.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$41.88 MX$726

90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$10.40 MX$180

14.81%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.61 MX$62.6

42.11%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$1.47 MX$25.45

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.91 MX$15.80

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.03 MX$52.6

95.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 $7.43

$4.47 MX$77.4

66.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.38 MX$23.83

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.84 MX$31.93

107.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.61 MX$27.82

186.34%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.57 MX$44.52

66.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$8.49 MX$147

55.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$8.49 MX$147

44.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 $15.86

$10.99 MX$190

44.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.73 MX$47.25

149.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.50 MX$25.92

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.16 $7.16

$1.96 MX$33.93

265.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.12 MX$36.70

153.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.86 MX$32.30

76.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.17 MX$37.67

37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.07 MX$18.59

140.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.05 MX$18.18

140.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.62 $12.62

$4.19 MX$72.6

201.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$10.28 MX$178

48.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.67 MX$28.87

35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.49 MX$43.12

64.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.54 MX$9.37

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 $1.81

$3.10 MX$53.8

-41.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.46 MX$42.66

-43.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.85 $21.85

$3.24 MX$56.1

574.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.26 MX$21.83

-27.78%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-14.49%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

10.53%

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

$270 $270

$84.0 MX$1,456

221.48%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$22.21 MX$385

156.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$29.65 MX$514

161.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.48 $43.48

$52.6 MX$912

-17.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$4.95 MX$85.7

202.22%

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

$1,281 $1,281

$198 MX$3,438

545.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K $33.9K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

536.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$35.95 MX$623

42.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 $41.98

$40.06 MX$694

4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$78.8 MX$1,365

10.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$86.5 MX$1,499

26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$977 MX$16.9K

81.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$471 MX$8,158

233.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,518 $2,518

$1,595 MX$27.6K

57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,174 $2,174

$1,215 MX$21.1K

78.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,674 $2,674

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-33.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,344 $2,344

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-64.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,986 $4,986

$714 MX$12.4K

598.18%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,770 in Media, PA versus $977 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 598% 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 $80 in Media, PA versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 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: $2,990 in Media, PA, $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 137% apart. Media, PA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,485 per month in Media, PA and $1,891 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 $80.0 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 $1,261, than in Media, PA at $2,990. 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen to $2,990 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.