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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $874 in Montanita versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,345 in Montanita versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Montanita versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Montanita costs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montanita 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 $3.53

$11.96 MX$203

-70.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.69 $27.69

$47.38 MX$804

-41.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 $7.53

$11.75 MX$199

-35.91%

Cappuccino

$2.47 $2.47

$4.12 MX$70.0

-40.05%

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

$0.84 $0.84

$1.40 MX$23.74

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.91 MX$15.48

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.21 MX$54.4

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$7.07 MX$120

-49.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.68 MX$28.44

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.15 MX$36.48

-24.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.77 MX$30.10

-11.30%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$2.82 MX$47.76

-24.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$9.20 MX$156

-41.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$9.23 MX$157

-40.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$12.64 MX$214

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.95 MX$50.1

-31.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.58 MX$26.79

-22.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.22 MX$37.70

-50.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.36 MX$40.09

-56.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.99 MX$33.81

-28.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.98 MX$33.58

-45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.24 MX$21.04

-58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.21 MX$20.55

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 $6.13

$4.60 MX$78.1

33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 $9.90

$10.52 MX$178

-5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.69 MX$28.70

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.77 MX$47.06

-7.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.60 MX$10.22

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.16 $24.16

$29.70 MX$504

-18.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$5.24 MX$88.8

-71.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 $9.94

$5.78 MX$98.1

71.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$1.54 MX$26.09

-59.74%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

11.16%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

10.95%

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

$40.45 $40.45

$90.7 MX$1,538

-55.39%

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

$13.87 $13.87

$25.19 MX$427

-44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 $31.29

$31.75 MX$539

-1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 $29.66

$68.8 MX$1,167

-56.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 $14.36

$29.37 MX$498

-51.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 $7.49

$4.86 MX$82.5

54.12%

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

$253 $253

$226 MX$3,828

12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,615 $5,615

$4,194 MX$71.1K

33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$47.38 MX$804

17.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 $43.80

$43.45 MX$737

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$80.2 MX$1,361

24.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 $76.3

$91.4 MX$1,550

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-68.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$409 MX$6,933

-23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 $621

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-68.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 $502

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-60.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 $1,249

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-69.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 $991

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-85.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-12.66%

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

Last update for Montanita: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Montanita and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Montanita vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $278 per month, with Montanita cheaper across the board.

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

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

Montanita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,312 in Montanita and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Montanita versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $253 in Montanita versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Montanita versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montanita is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.