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 $1,060 per month in Miraflores vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,177 per month in Miraflores vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,294 per month in Miraflores vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Miraflores is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Miraflores and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Miraflores 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 PEN 14.31

$11.94 MX$208

-65.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.68 PEN 115

$42.75 MX$744

-23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 PEN 18.03

$10.59 MX$184

-51.46%

Cappuccino

$2.65 PEN 9.32

$3.62 MX$63.0

-26.80%

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

$0.97 PEN 3.40

$1.47 MX$25.54

-34.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 PEN 2.26

$0.94 MX$16.41

-31.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PEN 7.56

$3.09 MX$53.8

-30.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 PEN 14.00

$4.46 MX$77.6

-10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 PEN 4.48

$1.43 MX$24.80

-10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 PEN 3.82

$1.88 MX$32.79

-42.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.77

$1.63 MX$28.34

-16.56%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.34

$2.64 MX$45.99

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 PEN 27.81

$8.21 MX$143

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 PEN 20.13

$8.29 MX$144

-30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 PEN 30.36

$11.10 MX$193

-22.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 PEN 6.90

$2.65 MX$46.14

-25.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.82

$1.50 MX$26.11

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 PEN 3.86

$1.99 MX$34.59

-44.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.99

$2.08 MX$36.13

-45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.48

$1.79 MX$31.11

-44.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.98

$2.18 MX$37.87

-61.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 PEN 2.85

$1.08 MX$18.73

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 PEN 2.00

$1.04 MX$18.04

-45.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 PEN 19.10

$3.97 MX$69.1

37.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 PEN 30.99

$10.20 MX$178

-13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PEN 5.94

$1.73 MX$30.04

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 PEN 9.64

$2.50 MX$43.46

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.95

$0.52 MX$9.02

-48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 PEN 11.79

$3.14 MX$54.7

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 PEN 7.41

$2.40 MX$41.80

-12.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 PEN 29.48

$3.09 MX$53.7

171.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 PEN 4.29

$1.27 MX$22.16

-3.94%

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

$19.8K PEN 69.4K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-35.95%

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

$24.0K PEN 84.4K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

3.12%

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

$55.8 PEN 196

$82.0 MX$1,427

-31.91%

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

$8.20 PEN 28.79

$22.45 MX$391

-63.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.14 PEN 84.7

$29.66 MX$516

-18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.80 PEN 115

$51.9 MX$903

-36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 PEN 24.87

$4.97 MX$86.5

42.45%

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

$216 PEN 759

$198 MX$3,442

9.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,947 PEN 27.9K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

50.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 PEN 174

$36.34 MX$632

36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.70 PEN 125

$40.05 MX$697

-10.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 PEN 313

$79.9 MX$1,390

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 PEN 294

$88.9 MX$1,547

-5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 PEN 2,313

$963 MX$16.8K

-31.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 PEN 1,739

$465 MX$8,086

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 PEN 5,563

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-0.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,483 PEN 8,714

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-37.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

11.42

-11.47%

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

Last update for Miraflores: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $659 in Miraflores 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 $33.00 in Miraflores versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $251 – 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 21%, 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 $1,589 per month in Miraflores 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 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,060, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.