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: $954 in Neum versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Neum versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,035 in Neum versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Neum costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neum 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BAM 14.56

$11.73 MX$203

-26.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.82 BAM 70.3

$41.62 MX$720

0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 BAM 12.82

$10.64 MX$184

-28.29%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.77

$3.52 MX$60.9

-53.13%

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

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$1.51 MX$26.12

28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$0.97 MX$16.84

24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 BAM 3.51

$2.95 MX$51.0

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 BAM 4.72

$4.45 MX$77.0

-36.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BAM 2.22

$1.38 MX$23.93

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$1.89 MX$32.72

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.65

$1.64 MX$28.32

-3.66%

Eggs

$3.01 BAM 5.05

$2.51 MX$43.34

19.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.12

$8.34 MX$144

15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 BAM 14.71

$8.34 MX$144

4.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 BAM 19.50

$10.73 MX$186

8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.60 MX$45.04

-45.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.75

$1.46 MX$25.20

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$1.90 MX$32.87

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.43

$2.08 MX$35.91

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$1.78 MX$30.71

-35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.86

$2.19 MX$37.80

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$1.04 MX$17.99

16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.23

$1.08 MX$18.62

-32.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 BAM 6.10

$4.08 MX$70.6

-11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$10.32 MX$178

-60.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.28

$1.71 MX$29.61

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 BAM 1.90

$2.58 MX$44.54

-56.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$0.51 MX$8.81

262.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.69 BAM 58.3

$26.46 MX$458

31.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$3.26 MX$56.4

-53.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.84

$2.49 MX$43.09

-55.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 BAM 12.23

$3.25 MX$56.2

124.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.60

$1.31 MX$22.61

17.56%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-3.98%

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

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

12.53%

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

$174 BAM 292

$82.9 MX$1,433

109.74%

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

$18.87 BAM 31.70

$22.22 MX$384

-15.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 BAM 40.33

$29.34 MX$507

-18.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.99 BAM 48.71

$51.6 MX$893

-43.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.97 BAM 18.43

$18.32 MX$317

-40.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 BAM 8.08

$5.07 MX$87.6

-5.13%

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

$203 BAM 342

$201 MX$3,473

1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,618 BAM 6,079

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-30.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 BAM 117

$36.92 MX$639

88.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.84 BAM 60.2

$39.79 MX$688

-9.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 BAM 150

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 BAM 186

$87.1 MX$1,506

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 BAM 438

$973 MX$16.8K

-73.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 BAM 284

$468 MX$8,090

-63.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 610

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-77.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BAM 529

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-74.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,608 BAM 4,382

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-33.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 BAM 3,088

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-71.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 BAM 1,482

$664 MX$11.5K

32.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

11.42

-74.61%

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

Last update for Neum: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Neum and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Neum vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $249 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 36% in total monthly costs ($954 vs $1,297 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Neum pays 33% more on average, 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: $261 in Neum versus $973 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $203 in Neum versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $954 in Neum versus $1,297 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 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.