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 $1,331 per month in Medina vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,792 per month in Medina vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,254 per month in Medina vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medina costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medina and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Medina 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 SAR 20.53

$11.71 MX$199

-53.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 SAR 120

$46.59 MX$791

-31.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.25

$11.65 MX$198

-33.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Cappuccino

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$4.09 MX$69.5

-36.19%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.91

$1.37 MX$23.34

-43.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.83 MX$14.16

-69.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

$1.73 MX$29.33

-15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$2.26 MX$38.39

-60.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$1.77 MX$30.05

34.46%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.73 MX$46.41

-24.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 SAR 19.52

$9.18 MX$156

-43.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$8.92 MX$151

-21.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 SAR 47.87

$12.60 MX$214

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.02 MX$51.3

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.57 MX$26.68

20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.13 MX$36.10

9.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.26 MX$38.46

-31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$2.00 MX$34.04

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.05

$2.06 MX$35.06

-34.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.18 MX$20.04

-23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.20 MX$20.45

-38.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SAR 28.02

$4.63 MX$78.7

61.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.57 MX$9.74

82.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.80 SAR 138

$29.83 MX$507

23.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$5.45 MX$92.5

-75.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$3.70 MX$62.9

-54.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 SAR 21.01

$5.98 MX$102

-6.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.55 MX$26.38

-61.29%

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

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

84.40%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-22.22%

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

$151 SAR 568

$89.1 MX$1,514

69.74%

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

$27.95 SAR 105

$25.04 MX$425

11.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 SAR 339

$31.50 MX$535

186.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 SAR 294

$67.8 MX$1,151

15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 SAR 33.06

$28.92 MX$491

-69.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$5.05 MX$85.8

161.39%

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

$291 SAR 1,091

$225 MX$3,820

29.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

29.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.44 SAR 141

$47.44 MX$806

-21.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$44.98 MX$764

18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 SAR 247

$82.0 MX$1,392

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 SAR 257

$92.1 MX$1,564

-25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 SAR 2,110

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-47.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 SAR 1,968

$405 MX$6,884

29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 SAR 2,826

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-61.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 SAR 2,119

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-56.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,260 SAR 8,487

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-43.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,933

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-80.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 SAR 4,980

$749 MX$12.7K

77.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

11.45

-63.58%

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

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $562 in Medina versus $1,069 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 77% 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 $32.00 in Medina versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $277 – 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 3% 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 $1,997 per month in Medina and $1,940 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 $291 per month in Medina and $225 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 45% 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 $1,293, than in Medina at $1,331. 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 $1,293 versus $1,331 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.