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 $1,451 per month in Medina vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Medina vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,255 per month in Medina vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medina costs about 16% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medina sits 9% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 SAR 21.48

$11.99 MX$210

-52.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.52 SAR 118

$41.78 MX$733

-24.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$10.75 MX$189

-26.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.50 MX$61.3

-30.00%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$1.45 MX$25.41

-46.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 SAR 1.57

$0.88 MX$15.52

-52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.43 MX$25.12

11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.66

$1.84 MX$32.23

-47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$1.57 MX$27.51

47.77%

Eggs

$2.05 SAR 7.71

$2.51 MX$44.06

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$8.28 MX$145

-18.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 SAR 26.61

$8.43 MX$148

-15.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 SAR 46.72

$10.68 MX$187

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.61 MX$45.76

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

$1.44 MX$25.22

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.96 MX$34.41

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.09 MX$36.74

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.85 MX$32.47

-22.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$2.17 MX$38.02

-32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.03 MX$18.09

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SAR 3.29

$1.07 MX$18.84

-17.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.61 SAR 28.57

$4.10 MX$72.0

85.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.51 MX$8.93

113.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 SAR 139

$26.04 MX$457

42.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$3.23 MX$56.7

-59.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$2.41 MX$42.19

-31.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 SAR 20.99

$3.23 MX$56.6

73.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.32 MX$23.17

-50.76%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-29.36%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-9.13%

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

$203 SAR 763

$82.0 MX$1,439

147.88%

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

$33.06 SAR 124

$22.95 MX$403

44.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$30.11 MX$528

246.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 SAR 285

$52.0 MX$912

46.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.10 SAR 34.18

$18.53 MX$325

-50.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$4.98 MX$87.3

170.88%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$197 MX$3,463

45.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

38.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$35.60 MX$624

5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$40.33 MX$707

32.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 SAR 251

$78.8 MX$1,381

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 SAR 370

$88.9 MX$1,560

10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 SAR 1,633

$947 MX$16.6K

-54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,082

$474 MX$8,314

16.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 SAR 2,674

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-56.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,574

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-65.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,267 SAR 8,513

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-44.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 SAR 5,046

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-79.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 SAR 5,030

$654 MX$11.5K

104.84%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Medina versus $947 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 105% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 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 16% 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 $2,177 per month in Medina and $1,884 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 $287 per month in Medina and $197 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 $1,256, than in Medina at $1,451. 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 $1,256 versus $1,451 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.