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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,571 per month in Netanya vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Netanya vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,856 per month in Netanya vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Netanya costs about 104% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Netanya sits 92% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.98 โ‚ช74.9
$11.67 MX$202
114.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 โ‚ช250
$41.88 MX$726
98.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.73 โ‚ช47.20
$10.40 MX$180
51.25%
Cappuccino
$4.55 โ‚ช13.66
$3.61 MX$62.6
26.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 โ‚ช9.02
$1.47 MX$25.45
104.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 โ‚ช8.17
$0.91 MX$15.80
198.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$10.11 โ‚ช30.34
$3.03 MX$52.6
233.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.37 โ‚ช25.11
$4.47 MX$77.4
87.25%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.98 โ‚ช5.93
$1.38 MX$23.83
43.48%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 โ‚ช6.94
$1.84 MX$31.93
25.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.00 โ‚ช9.01
$1.61 MX$27.82
86.34%
Eggs
$4.16 โ‚ช12.49
$2.57 MX$44.52
61.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.18 โ‚ช45.53
$8.49 MX$147
78.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.27 โ‚ช33.82
$8.49 MX$147
32.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.96 โ‚ช59.9
$10.99 MX$190
81.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 โ‚ช9.78
$2.73 MX$47.25
19.41%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 โ‚ช6.92
$1.50 MX$25.92
54.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 โ‚ช5.78
$1.96 MX$33.93
-1.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.94 โ‚ช8.81
$2.12 MX$36.70
38.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 โ‚ช4.38
$1.86 MX$32.30
-21.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 โ‚ช4.09
$2.17 MX$37.67
-37.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 โ‚ช5.27
$1.07 MX$18.59
64.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 โ‚ช5.26
$1.05 MX$18.18
66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.34 โ‚ช34.01
$4.19 MX$72.6
170.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.97 โ‚ช32.91
$10.28 MX$178
6.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 โ‚ช8.48
$1.67 MX$28.87
69.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 โ‚ช9.03
$2.49 MX$43.12
20.88%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.24 โ‚ช6.72
$0.54 MX$9.37
314.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.8 โ‚ช209
$26.27 MX$455
165.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.53 โ‚ช25.59
$3.10 MX$53.8
175.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 โ‚ช3.08
$2.46 MX$42.66
-58.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.62 โ‚ช55.9
$3.24 MX$56.1
474.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 โ‚ช6.25
$1.26 MX$21.83
65.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K โ‚ช114.6K
$30.2K MX$522.8K
26.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K โ‚ช118.7K
$23.4K MX$406.3K
68.72%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$243 โ‚ช730
$84.0 MX$1,456
189.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 โ‚ช40.71
$22.21 MX$385
-38.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.83 โ‚ช86.5
$29.65 MX$514
-2.77%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$78.1 โ‚ช234
$52.6 MX$912
48.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.00 โ‚ช51.0
$18.34 MX$318
-7.31%
Cinema Ticket
$12.43 โ‚ช37.28
$4.95 MX$85.7
151.11%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,061 โ‚ช3,183
$198 MX$3,438
434.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,664 โ‚ช17.0K
$5,322 MX$92.2K
6.44%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.4 โ‚ช289
$35.95 MX$623
168.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.0 โ‚ช186
$40.06 MX$694
54.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 โ‚ช334
$78.8 MX$1,365
41.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 โ‚ช393
$86.5 MX$1,499
51.55%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,176 โ‚ช3,528
$977 MX$16.9K
20.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,122 โ‚ช3,365
$471 MX$8,158
138.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,909 โ‚ช5,727
$1,595 MX$27.6K
19.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,619 โ‚ช4,857
$1,215 MX$21.1K
33.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,785 โ‚ช23.4K
$4,032 MX$69.9K
93.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,661 โ‚ช20.0K
$6,579 MX$114.0K
1.24%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Netanya
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,023 โ‚ช12.1K
$714 MX$12.4K
463.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.83
11.42
-57.71%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Netanya: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,176 in Netanya versus $977 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.

Salaries run about 463% higher in Netanya, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in Netanya versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $252 โ€“ 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
Netanya vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
Netanya costs about 104% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Netanya vs Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,857 per month in Netanya and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Netanya and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $1,061 per month in Netanya and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Netanya, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Netanya at $2,571. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Netanya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,261 versus $2,571 in Netanya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Netanya compared to Playa del Carmen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Netanya or Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Netanya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Netanya vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities