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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,737 per month in Monticchiello vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,719 per month in Monticchiello vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,700 per month in Monticchiello vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Monticchiello costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monticchiello sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.18 €18.23

$11.73 MX$203

80.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 €68.7

$41.62 MX$719

91.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 €9.38

$10.64 MX$184

2.44%

Cappuccino

$2.20 €1.89

$3.52 MX$60.8

-37.50%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$1.51 MX$26.09

88.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 €1.25

$0.97 MX$16.82

49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.93

$2.95 MX$51.0

94.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 €4.94

$4.45 MX$77.0

28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.38 MX$23.90

14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.89 MX$32.69

39.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$1.64 MX$28.29

68.29%

Eggs

$5.03 €4.33

$2.51 MX$43.30

100.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.83 €17.93

$8.34 MX$144

149.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.16 €11.33

$8.34 MX$144

57.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.53

$10.73 MX$185

68.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.60 MX$45.00

-9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.46 MX$25.18

45.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.90 MX$32.84

1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.08 MX$35.88

42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.78 MX$30.68

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.19 MX$37.76

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.04 MX$17.97

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 €0.53

$1.08 MX$18.60

-42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 €5.94

$4.08 MX$70.5

68.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.88

$10.32 MX$178

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.71 MX$29.59

-2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.58 MX$44.50

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.51 MX$8.81

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.98 €37.87

$26.46 MX$457

66.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 €4.86

$3.26 MX$56.4

73.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.49 MX$43.05

-38.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.51 €24.55

$3.25 MX$56.1

777.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.31 MX$22.59

58.78%

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

$26.4K €22.8K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-12.67%

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

$34.7K €29.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

48.30%

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

$179 €154

$82.9 MX$1,432

116.27%

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

$14.89 €12.82

$22.22 MX$384

-32.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.59 €25.47

$29.34 MX$507

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 €47.84

$51.6 MX$892

7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.95 €19.76

$18.32 MX$317

25.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 €9.61

$5.07 MX$87.5

120.32%

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

$673 €580

$201 MX$3,470

235.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,573 €3,937

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.4 €80.4

$36.92 MX$638

152.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 €37.68

$39.79 MX$688

10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 €83.9

$78.5 MX$1,356

24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 €149

$87.1 MX$1,505

99.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 €646

$973 MX$16.8K

-22.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 €497

$468 MX$8,082

23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 €1,054

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-25.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 €799

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-24.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,799 €2,409

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 €1,609

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-71.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.83

11.42

-57.71%

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

Last update for Monticchiello: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $751 in Monticchiello versus $973 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 $80.0 in Monticchiello versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Monticchiello is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,606 per month in Monticchiello and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,737 in Monticchiello and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Monticchiello at $1,737. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monticchiello it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monticchiello makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.