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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Mercedes vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Mercedes vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Mercedes vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mercedes costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mercedes and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mercedes 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 UYU 641

$11.73 MX$203

35.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 UYU 2,175

$41.62 MX$720

29.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 UYU 489

$10.64 MX$184

14.10%

Cappuccino

$4.25 UYU 172

$3.52 MX$60.9

20.74%

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

$2.18 UYU 88.1

$1.51 MX$26.12

44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.7

$0.97 MX$16.84

73.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 UYU 176

$2.95 MX$51.0

48.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 UYU 145

$4.45 MX$77.0

-18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.90

$1.38 MX$23.93

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 UYU 111

$1.89 MX$32.72

45.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 UYU 56.7

$1.64 MX$28.32

-14.02%

Eggs

$2.74 UYU 111

$2.51 MX$43.34

9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 UYU 545

$8.34 MX$144

61.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 UYU 435

$8.34 MX$144

29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 UYU 298

$10.73 MX$186

-31.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 UYU 76.6

$2.60 MX$45.04

-26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 96.3

$1.46 MX$25.20

63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 UYU 44.84

$1.90 MX$32.87

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.08 MX$35.91

37.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 UYU 81.5

$1.78 MX$30.71

13.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 UYU 75.9

$2.19 MX$37.80

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

$1.04 MX$17.99

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.9

$1.08 MX$18.62

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 UYU 198

$4.08 MX$70.6

20.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 UYU 400

$10.32 MX$178

-3.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.9

$1.71 MX$29.61

37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$2.58 MX$44.54

12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 UYU 47.75

$0.51 MX$8.81

131.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.25 UYU 1,744

$26.46 MX$458

63.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 58.2

$3.26 MX$56.4

-55.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 UYU 63.3

$2.49 MX$43.09

-36.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.81 UYU 436

$3.25 MX$56.2

232.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.8

$1.31 MX$22.61

38.17%

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

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

10.94%

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

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

55.72%

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

$173 UYU 6,967

$82.9 MX$1,433

108.52%

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

$16.62 UYU 670

$22.22 MX$384

-25.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.63 UYU 2,001

$29.34 MX$507

69.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 UYU 417

$5.07 MX$87.6

103.94%

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

$484 UYU 19.5K

$201 MX$3,473

141.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,751 UYU 352.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

67.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 UYU 3,876

$36.92 MX$639

160.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 UYU 1,912

$39.79 MX$688

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,510

$78.5 MX$1,357

42.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,964

$87.1 MX$1,506

41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 UYU 22.3K

$973 MX$16.8K

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UYU 12.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 UYU 24.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-62.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 UYU 17.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-64.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

11.42

-50.26%

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

Last update for Mercedes: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in Mercedes 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mercedes versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $249 – 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

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

Mercedes costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Mercedes 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Mercedes and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Mercedes at $1,330. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mercedes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,330 in Mercedes. 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, Mercedes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.