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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,020 per month in Mercedes vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Mercedes vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mercedes costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mercedes sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 UYU 636

$11.99 MX$210

31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 UYU 2,216

$41.78 MX$733

31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 UYU 498

$10.75 MX$189

15.07%

Cappuccino

$4.27 UYU 172

$3.50 MX$61.3

22.00%

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

$2.26 UYU 90.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 UYU 68.3

$0.88 MX$15.52

93.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 UYU 179

$2.95 MX$51.7

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$4.51 MX$79.1

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.1

$1.43 MX$25.12

-11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 UYU 115

$1.84 MX$32.23

54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 58.0

$1.57 MX$27.51

-8.28%

Eggs

$2.62 UYU 105

$2.51 MX$44.06

4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 UYU 554

$8.28 MX$145

66.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 UYU 436

$8.43 MX$148

28.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 UYU 298

$10.68 MX$187

-30.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.0

$2.61 MX$45.76

-23.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.4

$1.44 MX$25.22

71.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 UYU 43.20

$1.96 MX$34.41

-45.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$2.09 MX$36.74

44.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$1.85 MX$32.47

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$2.17 MX$38.02

-12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.2

$1.03 MX$18.09

28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 UYU 65.5

$1.07 MX$18.84

52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.92 UYU 198

$4.10 MX$72.0

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 UYU 359

$10.17 MX$178

-12.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.4

$1.68 MX$29.38

39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 UYU 121

$2.53 MX$44.31

18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 UYU 47.71

$0.51 MX$8.93

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.60 UYU 1,754

$26.04 MX$457

67.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$3.23 MX$56.7

-53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$2.41 MX$42.19

-35.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.85 UYU 436

$3.23 MX$56.6

235.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 UYU 73.9

$1.32 MX$23.17

39.39%

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

$33.9K UYU 1.4M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

14.21%

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

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

50.60%

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

$174 UYU 6,984

$82.0 MX$1,439

111.68%

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

$16.81 UYU 676

$22.95 MX$403

-26.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.93 UYU 1,968

$30.11 MX$528

62.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 UYU 416

$4.98 MX$87.3

107.43%

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

$486 UYU 19.5K

$197 MX$3,463

146.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,853 UYU 356.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.0 UYU 3,862

$35.60 MX$624

169.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.96 UYU 1,930

$40.33 MX$707

18.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 UYU 4,570

$78.8 MX$1,381

44.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 5,011

$88.9 MX$1,560

40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 UYU 22.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 UYU 11.6K

$474 MX$8,314

-39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 UYU 24.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 UYU 17.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Mercedes 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Mercedes versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 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 6% 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 $1,884 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Mercedes and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% 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 $1,256, 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 $1,256 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.