Cost of Living Comparison Between Montes Claros and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Montes Claros and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $746 in Montes Claros versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Montes Claros versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,669 in Montes Claros versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Montes Claros costs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montes Claros 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 R$15.52

$11.67 MX$202

-73.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.99 R$134

$41.88 MX$726

-35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$32.18

$10.40 MX$180

-37.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.54

$3.61 MX$62.6

-52.35%

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

$1.07 R$5.31

$1.47 MX$25.45

-27.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.24

$0.91 MX$15.80

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 R$6.63

$3.03 MX$52.6

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.30

$4.47 MX$77.4

-40.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.93

$1.38 MX$23.83

-28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.46

$1.84 MX$31.93

-18.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.69

$1.61 MX$27.82

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.05

$2.57 MX$44.52

-21.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.59

$8.49 MX$147

-6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 R$18.29

$8.49 MX$147

-56.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.01

$10.99 MX$190

-35.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$10.68

$2.73 MX$47.25

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.23

$1.50 MX$25.92

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.89

$1.96 MX$33.93

-39.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.24

$2.12 MX$36.70

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.75

$1.86 MX$32.30

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.52

$2.17 MX$37.67

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$1.07 MX$18.59

-35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.12

$1.05 MX$18.18

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.50

$4.19 MX$72.6

-49.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 R$39.39

$10.28 MX$178

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.02

$1.67 MX$28.87

-27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.20

$2.49 MX$43.12

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 R$3.75

$0.54 MX$9.37

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.79 R$193

$26.27 MX$455

47.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.24

$3.10 MX$53.8

-65.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.74

$2.46 MX$42.66

-69.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 R$31.51

$3.24 MX$56.1

95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.65

$1.26 MX$21.83

-25.40%

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

$20.9K R$104.1K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-30.56%

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

$27.2K R$134.9K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

15.81%

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

$60.0 R$298

$84.0 MX$1,456

-28.61%

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

$13.67 R$67.9

$22.21 MX$385

-38.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.85 R$88.7

$29.65 MX$514

-39.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.72 R$98.0

$52.6 MX$912

-62.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 R$109

$18.34 MX$318

19.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.70

$4.95 MX$85.7

28.89%

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

$266 R$1,323

$198 MX$3,438

34.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,365 R$31.6K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

19.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 R$244

$35.95 MX$623

36.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 R$208

$40.06 MX$694

4.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$382

$78.8 MX$1,365

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 R$326

$86.5 MX$1,499

-24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,558

$977 MX$16.9K

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 R$1,061

$471 MX$8,158

-54.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,862

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-63.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 R$2,094

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-65.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,839 R$9,138

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-54.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 R$5,426

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-83.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 R$1,978

$714 MX$12.4K

-44.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Montes Claros: April 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Montes Claros and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 79% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27 in Montes Claros vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $252 per month, with Montes Claros 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

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

Montes Claros and Playa del Carmen differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $1,261 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 79% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Montes Claros versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montes Claros runs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Montes Claros versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $746 in Montes Claros versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.