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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Miraflores vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,245 per month in Miraflores vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,371 per month in Miraflores vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Miraflores is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Miraflores and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Miraflores 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 PEN 15.25

$11.96 MX$203

-61.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.31 PEN 112

$47.38 MX$804

-29.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 PEN 18.36

$11.75 MX$199

-53.36%

Cappuccino

$3.37 PEN 11.31

$4.12 MX$70.0

-18.20%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.74

$1.40 MX$23.74

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 PEN 2.25

$0.91 MX$15.48

-26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 PEN 9.11

$3.21 MX$54.4

-15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.00

$7.07 MX$120

-36.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.68 MX$28.44

-22.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 PEN 3.87

$2.15 MX$36.48

-46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 PEN 4.52

$1.77 MX$30.10

-23.73%

Eggs

$2.93 PEN 9.84

$2.82 MX$47.76

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 PEN 30.65

$9.20 MX$156

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 PEN 19.89

$9.23 MX$157

-35.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 PEN 33.33

$12.64 MX$214

-21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.84

$2.95 MX$50.1

-30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.71

$1.58 MX$26.79

-29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 PEN 4.81

$2.22 MX$37.70

-35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 PEN 4.07

$2.36 MX$40.09

-48.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 PEN 3.26

$1.99 MX$33.81

-51.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 PEN 3.06

$1.98 MX$33.58

-54.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.85

$1.24 MX$21.04

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 1.91

$1.21 MX$20.55

-52.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 PEN 20.18

$4.60 MX$78.1

30.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.04 PEN 30.32

$10.52 MX$178

-14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.88

$1.69 MX$28.70

3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 PEN 9.69

$2.77 MX$47.06

4.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.97

$0.60 MX$10.22

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 PEN 13.61

$5.24 MX$88.8

-22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PEN 6.91

$3.65 MX$61.9

-43.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 PEN 25.20

$5.78 MX$98.1

30.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$1.54 MX$26.09

-11.04%

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

$22.1K PEN 74.2K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-2.87%

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

$26.4K PEN 88.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

2.19%

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

$58.5 PEN 196

$90.7 MX$1,538

-35.52%

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

$8.76 PEN 29.35

$25.19 MX$427

-65.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.22 PEN 94.6

$31.75 MX$539

-11.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.50 PEN 119

$68.8 MX$1,167

-48.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 PEN 25.25

$4.86 MX$82.5

54.94%

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

$180 PEN 604

$226 MX$3,828

-20.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K PEN 44.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

218.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 PEN 179

$47.38 MX$804

12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 PEN 118

$43.45 MX$737

-19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 PEN 284

$80.2 MX$1,361

5.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 PEN 266

$91.4 MX$1,550

-13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 PEN 2,316

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-36.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 PEN 1,768

$409 MX$6,933

29.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 PEN 5,399

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,520 PEN 8,446

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.45

-21.92%

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

Last update for Miraflores: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $691 in Miraflores versus $1,086 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 $33.00 in Miraflores versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $278 – making Miraflores 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Miraflores and $1,958 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 Miraflores, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Miraflores and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Miraflores, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Miraflores it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miraflores – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Miraflores. 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.