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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Mixco vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Mixco vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,711 per month in Mixco vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mixco is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mixco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mixco 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 Q 25.08

$11.99 MX$210

-72.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.69 Q 249

$41.78 MX$733

-21.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 Q 45.05

$10.75 MX$189

-45.02%

Cappuccino

$2.42 Q 18.43

$3.50 MX$61.3

-30.86%

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

$0.63 Q 4.83

$1.45 MX$25.41

-56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Q 2.84

$0.88 MX$15.52

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 Q 14.68

$2.95 MX$51.7

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 Q 19.51

$4.51 MX$79.1

-43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Q 7.78

$1.43 MX$25.12

-28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Q 13.63

$1.84 MX$32.23

-2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.77

$1.57 MX$27.51

-35.03%

Eggs

$1.97 Q 14.99

$2.51 MX$44.06

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.68 Q 20.40

$8.28 MX$145

-67.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 Q 27.17

$8.43 MX$148

-57.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.18 Q 31.88

$10.68 MX$187

-60.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 Q 9.79

$2.61 MX$45.76

-50.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 Q 6.82

$1.44 MX$25.22

-38.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 Q 5.70

$1.96 MX$34.41

-61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 Q 10.04

$2.09 MX$36.74

-36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 Q 9.77

$1.85 MX$32.47

-30.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.64

$2.17 MX$38.02

-29.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Q 8.05

$1.03 MX$18.09

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Q 4.06

$1.07 MX$18.84

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Q 25.03

$4.10 MX$72.0

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 Q 68.4

$10.17 MX$178

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 Q 15.05

$1.68 MX$29.38

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Q 25.15

$2.53 MX$44.31

30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Q 4.79

$0.51 MX$8.93

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 Q 35.89

$3.23 MX$56.7

45.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 Q 4.65

$2.41 MX$42.19

-74.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 Q 50.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

104.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 Q 8.58

$1.32 MX$23.17

-14.39%

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

$20.0K Q 152.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-32.55%

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

$19.9K Q 151.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-15.80%

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

$39.59 Q 302

$82.0 MX$1,439

-51.73%

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

$38.95 Q 297

$22.95 MX$403

69.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.40 Q 148

$30.11 MX$528

-35.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.20 Q 345

$52.0 MX$912

-13.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 Q 43.83

$4.98 MX$87.3

15.46%

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

$45.24 Q 345

$197 MX$3,463

-77.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Q 94.5K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

132.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.27 Q 360

$35.60 MX$624

32.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 Q 304

$40.33 MX$707

-1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 Q 758

$78.8 MX$1,381

26.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 Q 648

$88.9 MX$1,560

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 Q 2,475

$947 MX$16.6K

-65.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 Q 1,509

$474 MX$8,314

-58.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 Q 4,413

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 Q 3,488

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-62.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

11.42

-25.57%

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

Last update for Mixco: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Mixco versus $947 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 Mixco versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $249 – making Mixco 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,104 per month in Mixco and $1,884 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 Mixco, 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 $736 in Mixco and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $45.24 per month in Mixco 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mixco, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Mixco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Mixco. 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.