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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $985 in Neum versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,437 in Neum versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,890 in Neum versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Neum costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neum 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 BAM 8.89

$11.96 MX$203

-55.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.76 BAM 50.2

$47.38 MX$804

-37.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 BAM 9.95

$11.75 MX$199

-49.70%

Cappuccino

$1.96 BAM 3.31

$4.12 MX$70.0

-52.43%

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

$1.83 BAM 3.08

$1.40 MX$23.74

30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$0.91 MX$15.48

37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 BAM 4.41

$3.21 MX$54.4

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 BAM 3.69

$7.07 MX$120

-69.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$1.68 MX$28.44

-27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$2.15 MX$36.48

-56.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 BAM 3.49

$1.77 MX$30.10

16.95%

Eggs

$2.66 BAM 4.49

$2.82 MX$47.76

-5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 BAM 13.79

$9.20 MX$156

-10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 BAM 12.83

$9.23 MX$157

-17.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 BAM 18.35

$12.64 MX$214

-13.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 BAM 1.90

$2.95 MX$50.1

-61.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$1.58 MX$26.79

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 BAM 2.35

$2.22 MX$37.70

-37.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$2.36 MX$40.09

-49.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.69

$1.99 MX$33.81

-49.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 BAM 1.71

$1.98 MX$33.58

-48.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 BAM 1.24

$1.24 MX$21.04

-40.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.22

$1.21 MX$20.55

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 BAM 6.73

$4.60 MX$78.1

-13.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.12 BAM 6.93

$10.52 MX$178

-60.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BAM 1.27

$1.69 MX$28.70

-55.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.63

$2.77 MX$47.06

-64.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 BAM 2.18

$0.60 MX$10.22

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 BAM 99.6

$29.70 MX$504

99.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 BAM 2.92

$5.24 MX$88.8

-66.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 BAM 0.96

$3.65 MX$61.9

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 BAM 9.77

$5.78 MX$98.1

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 BAM 2.72

$1.54 MX$26.09

5.19%

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

$32.1K BAM 54.1K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

40.79%

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

$22.3K BAM 37.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-13.61%

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

$140 BAM 237

$90.7 MX$1,538

54.86%

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

$18.33 BAM 30.88

$25.19 MX$427

-27.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.79 BAM 45.15

$31.75 MX$539

-15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.29 BAM 57.8

$68.8 MX$1,167

-50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 BAM 20.18

$29.37 MX$498

-59.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 BAM 9.65

$4.86 MX$82.5

17.90%

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

$205 BAM 345

$226 MX$3,828

-9.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,362 BAM 3,980

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-43.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 BAM 102

$47.38 MX$804

27.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.53 BAM 56.5

$43.45 MX$737

-22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 BAM 151

$80.2 MX$1,361

11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 BAM 143

$91.4 MX$1,550

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 BAM 602

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-67.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 BAM 432

$409 MX$6,933

-37.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 BAM 891

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 BAM 622

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-71.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 BAM 4,211

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-38.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 BAM 3,089

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-72.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 BAM 1,490

$773 MX$13.1K

14.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

11.45

-74.67%

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

Last update for Neum: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $357 in Neum and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Neum vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $278 per month, with Neum 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

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

Neum and Playa del Carmen differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($985 vs $1,305 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Neum, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $357 in Neum versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $205 in Neum versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $985 in Neum versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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.

Safety-wise, Neum and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.