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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Minas vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,702 per month in Minas vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,318 per month in Minas vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Minas is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Minas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Minas 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.03 UYU 604

$11.60 MX$200

29.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 UYU 2,472

$47.11 MX$811

30.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.63 UYU 547

$11.88 MX$205

14.73%

Cappuccino

$4.30 UYU 173

$3.98 MX$68.5

8.04%

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

$2.71 UYU 109

$1.43 MX$24.58

89.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 UYU 82.7

$0.82 MX$14.20

151.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.74 UYU 190

$3.19 MX$54.9

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 UYU 153

$6.79 MX$117

-43.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 UYU 54.6

$1.68 MX$28.86

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 UYU 115

$2.20 MX$37.84

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

$1.71 MX$29.42

4.68%

Eggs

$4.80 UYU 193

$2.74 MX$47.21

75.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 UYU 560

$9.58 MX$165

45.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 UYU 468

$9.01 MX$155

29.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 UYU 476

$12.81 MX$221

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 UYU 114

$2.89 MX$49.75

-1.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 114

$1.50 MX$25.79

90.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.7

$2.15 MX$37.00

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 UYU 124

$2.26 MX$38.92

37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 UYU 84.5

$1.98 MX$34.11

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 UYU 85.7

$1.99 MX$34.27

7.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 UYU 56.5

$1.23 MX$21.26

14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 UYU 79.0

$1.20 MX$20.61

64.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 UYU 221

$4.55 MX$78.4

20.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 UYU 329

$10.37 MX$179

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 UYU 93.3

$1.62 MX$27.88

43.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.88 MX$49.61

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 UYU 30.58

$0.60 MX$10.34

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 UYU 73.5

$5.39 MX$92.8

-66.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.24

$3.73 MX$64.2

-89.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.46 UYU 420

$5.77 MX$99.4

81.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 UYU 87.9

$1.54 MX$26.46

42.21%

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

$26.9K UYU 1.1M

$22.5K MX$388.4K

19.35%

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

$36.4K UYU 1.5M

$26.1K MX$448.8K

39.88%

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

$190 UYU 7,616

$91.4 MX$1,574

107.50%

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

$17.22 UYU 691

$25.20 MX$434

-31.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.16 UYU 1,814

$31.24 MX$538

44.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 UYU 491

$4.86 MX$83.8

151.44%

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

$616 UYU 24.8K

$224 MX$3,852

175.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 434.9K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

156.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.9 UYU 3,852

$47.10 MX$811

103.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 UYU 2,246

$44.29 MX$763

26.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 4,969

$80.1 MX$1,380

54.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,286

$92.7 MX$1,596

42.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,721

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

11.45

-52.05%

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

Last update for Minas: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Minas versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $276 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,086 in Minas, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 17% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in Minas and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,086 in Minas and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Minas and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,086 in Minas to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Minas. 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.