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 $1,075 per month in Midlands vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,755 per month in Midlands vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,434 per month in Midlands vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Midlands is about 16% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 MUR 314

$11.94 MX$209

-43.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.01 MUR 2,059

$42.75 MX$748

2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 MUR 337

$10.59 MX$185

-32.01%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MUR 126

$3.62 MX$63.4

-25.69%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.31

$1.47 MX$25.69

-35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.09

$0.94 MX$16.51

-36.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MUR 105

$3.09 MX$54.1

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MUR 150

$4.46 MX$78.0

-28.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MUR 78.2

$1.43 MX$24.94

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 32.99

$1.88 MX$32.97

-62.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 59.4

$1.63 MX$28.50

-22.09%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$2.64 MX$46.26

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 MUR 564

$8.21 MX$144

46.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 MUR 291

$8.29 MX$145

-24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 MUR 594

$11.10 MX$194

14.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 MUR 95.5

$2.65 MX$46.40

-23.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 MUR 95.4

$1.50 MX$26.26

36.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.1

$1.99 MX$34.79

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 124

$2.08 MX$36.33

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.22

$1.79 MX$31.29

-44.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.36

$2.18 MX$38.09

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.31

$1.08 MX$18.84

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 37.88

$1.04 MX$18.15

-22.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 MUR 317

$3.97 MX$69.5

70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 MUR 392

$10.20 MX$179

-17.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 80.1

$1.73 MX$30.22

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MUR 100

$2.50 MX$43.71

-14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 MUR 48.30

$0.52 MX$9.07

98.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 MUR 205

$3.14 MX$55.0

39.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 128

$2.40 MX$42.04

14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.93 MUR 933

$3.09 MX$54.0

544.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 68.0

$1.27 MX$22.28

14.17%

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

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

13.63%

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

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

22.89%

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

$48.65 MUR 2,276

$82.0 MX$1,435

-40.68%

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

$18.58 MUR 869

$22.45 MX$393

-17.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.46 MUR 1,566

$29.66 MX$519

12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.83 MUR 1,770

$51.9 MX$908

-27.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 MUR 281

$4.97 MX$87.0

20.93%

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

$152 MUR 7,117

$198 MX$3,462

-23.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,933 MUR 184.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-25.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 MUR 3,975

$36.34 MX$636

133.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.3 MUR 3,664

$40.05 MX$701

95.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 MUR 6,243

$79.9 MX$1,398

67.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 MUR 4,391

$88.9 MX$1,555

5.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MUR 23.8K

$963 MX$16.9K

-47.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.7K

$465 MX$8,133

-23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 MUR 43.6K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-41.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 MUR 34.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-39.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Midlands versus $963 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 $44.00 in Midlands versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Midlands vs $251 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 20% 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 $1,613 per month in Midlands and $1,930 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 $1,075 in Midlands and $1,287 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 $198 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 $1,075, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,075 versus $1,287 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.