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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,478 per month in Medina vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Medina vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,219 per month in Medina vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medina costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 SAR 20.55

$11.73 MX$203

-53.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 SAR 118

$41.62 MX$720

-24.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$10.64 MX$184

-23.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$2.55 SAR 9.56

$3.52 MX$60.9

-27.56%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$1.51 MX$26.12

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.97 MX$16.84

-59.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.38 MX$23.93

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.89 MX$32.72

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$1.64 MX$28.32

44.51%

Eggs

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.51 MX$43.34

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.35

$8.34 MX$144

-22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 SAR 26.13

$8.34 MX$144

-16.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$10.73 MX$186

17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.60 MX$45.04

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$1.46 MX$25.20

44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.90 MX$32.87

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$2.08 MX$35.91

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.78 MX$30.71

-23.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$2.19 MX$37.80

-33.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.04 MX$17.99

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$1.08 MX$18.62

-19.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.44

$4.08 MX$70.6

85.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.51 MX$8.81

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.18 SAR 140

$26.46 MX$458

40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.26 MX$56.4

-59.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.49 MX$43.09

-34.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.48

$3.25 MX$56.2

68.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.31 MX$22.61

-51.15%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-30.20%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.79%

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

$199 SAR 748

$82.9 MX$1,433

140.36%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$22.22 MX$384

48.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$29.34 MX$507

256.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 SAR 283

$51.6 MX$893

46.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.80

$18.32 MX$317

-50.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.38

$5.07 MX$87.6

159.57%

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

$290 SAR 1,088

$201 MX$3,473

44.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

45.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SAR 139

$36.92 MX$639

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$39.79 MX$688

31.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 SAR 247

$78.5 MX$1,357

-16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$87.1 MX$1,506

11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$973 MX$16.8K

-56.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$468 MX$8,090

18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 SAR 2,670

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,547

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-66.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 SAR 8,782

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-40.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 SAR 4,940

$664 MX$11.5K

98.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-73.73%

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

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $973 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 98% higher in Medina, 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 $31.00 in Medina versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $249 – making Medina 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

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

Medina costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,217 per month in Medina and $1,945 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.

Kindergarten costs $290 per month in Medina and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Medina at $1,478. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,478 in Medina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.