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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Midlands vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,709 per month in Midlands vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,353 per month in Midlands vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Midlands is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Midlands and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Midlands 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 MUR 317

$11.72 MX$203

-42.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 MUR 2,101

$41.89 MX$725

7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 MUR 331

$10.51 MX$182

-32.73%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 119

$3.59 MX$62.0

-28.97%

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

$0.96 MUR 45.02

$1.51 MX$26.10

-36.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.01

$0.92 MX$15.83

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 MUR 102

$2.96 MX$51.2

-26.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MUR 155

$4.41 MX$76.3

-24.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MUR 79.1

$1.40 MX$24.16

20.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.93

$1.88 MX$32.60

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.1

$1.56 MX$26.97

-17.95%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$2.61 MX$45.14

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 MUR 565

$8.32 MX$144

45.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 MUR 287

$8.35 MX$145

-26.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 MUR 585

$10.86 MX$188

15.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 97.2

$2.71 MX$46.93

-23.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.4

$1.51 MX$26.04

27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 70.7

$1.87 MX$32.41

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$2.19 MX$37.89

20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.01

$1.86 MX$32.14

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.30

$2.23 MX$38.59

-57.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 39.64

$1.07 MX$18.48

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.09

$1.09 MX$18.79

-31.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 MUR 317

$4.19 MX$72.4

61.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MUR 401

$10.43 MX$180

-17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 83.8

$1.66 MX$28.68

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.61 MX$45.19

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 48.73

$0.54 MX$9.37

92.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 211

$3.08 MX$53.3

46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 128

$2.40 MX$41.61

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.45 MUR 911

$3.13 MX$54.1

521.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$1.31 MX$22.69

11.45%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

18.53%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

22.15%

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

$48.57 MUR 2,275

$81.3 MX$1,406

-40.24%

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

$18.04 MUR 845

$22.56 MX$390

-20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,548

$30.05 MX$520

9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.65 MUR 1,763

$52.9 MX$915

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MUR 276

$4.92 MX$85.1

19.51%

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

$152 MUR 7,110

$201 MX$3,474

-24.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-22.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,922

$35.92 MX$622

133.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,738

$40.13 MX$694

98.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,127

$79.7 MX$1,379

64.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 MUR 4,501

$86.5 MX$1,496

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MUR 24.3K

$978 MX$16.9K

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.2K

$470 MX$8,140

-26.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 MUR 44.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-42.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MUR 33.8K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-40.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Midlands versus $978 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 $45.00 in Midlands versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Midlands vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Midlands wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Midlands, 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 $1,598 per month in Midlands and $1,890 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 Midlands, 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 $1,065 in Midlands and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Midlands and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Midlands, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Midlands it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Midlands costs $1,065 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Midlands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.