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 $1,078 per month in Midlands vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Midlands vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,405 per month in Midlands vs $2,980 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

$6.67 MUR 314

$11.87 MX$204

-43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.23 MUR 2,083

$42.90 MX$736

3.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 MUR 339

$10.65 MX$183

-32.39%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MUR 119

$3.45 MX$59.2

-26.38%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.91

$1.50 MX$25.81

-36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.91

$0.95 MX$16.28

-37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 105

$3.03 MX$51.9

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MUR 156

$4.61 MX$79.1

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MUR 79.2

$1.38 MX$23.61

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.50

$1.85 MX$31.70

-61.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.1

$1.61 MX$27.65

-18.01%

Eggs

$2.35 MUR 111

$2.59 MX$44.51

-9.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 MUR 551

$8.26 MX$142

41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MUR 288

$8.37 MX$144

-27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 MUR 589

$10.66 MX$183

17.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.6

$2.63 MX$45.12

-24.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.7

$1.49 MX$25.53

34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 71.1

$1.92 MX$32.94

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 128

$2.09 MX$35.81

29.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.48

$1.86 MX$31.88

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.70

$2.26 MX$38.81

-58.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 37.14

$1.06 MX$18.23

-25.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 38.22

$1.09 MX$18.67

-25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 306

$4.15 MX$71.2

56.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 389

$10.39 MX$178

-20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 81.0

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MUR 104

$2.61 MX$44.85

-15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.34

$0.54 MX$9.30

87.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MUR 211

$3.13 MX$53.7

43.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 129

$2.51 MX$43.09

9.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.01 MUR 942

$3.15 MX$54.1

535.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 66.0

$1.27 MX$21.88

10.24%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

17.52%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

23.44%

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

$49.38 MUR 2,325

$83.0 MX$1,425

-40.51%

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

$18.03 MUR 849

$22.71 MX$390

-20.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,556

$29.46 MX$506

12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.69 MUR 1,775

$51.0 MX$875

-26.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 MUR 277

$4.93 MX$84.5

19.47%

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

$155 MUR 7,285

$197 MX$3,386

-21.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-23.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,069

$36.90 MX$633

134.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.5 MUR 3,745

$39.89 MX$685

99.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,128

$80.0 MX$1,373

62.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 MUR 4,495

$89.5 MX$1,536

6.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MUR 24.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 MUR 16.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 MUR 43.8K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 MUR 33.8K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-41.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Midlands versus $956 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 – $231 in Midlands vs $250 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 $1,617 per month in Midlands and $1,906 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 $1,078 in Midlands and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Midlands and $197 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 $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,078 versus $1,271 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.