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: $952 in Neum versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Neum versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,027 in Neum versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Neum costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Neum 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 14.71

$11.99 MX$210

-28.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 BAM 71.2

$41.78 MX$733

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BAM 12.88

$10.75 MX$189

-29.95%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$3.50 MX$61.3

-52.86%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$1.45 MX$25.41

39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$0.88 MX$15.52

30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.95 MX$51.7

-29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.76

$4.51 MX$79.1

-38.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.28

$1.43 MX$25.12

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$1.84 MX$32.23

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$1.57 MX$27.51

0.64%

Eggs

$2.95 BAM 5.05

$2.51 MX$44.06

17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 BAM 15.82

$8.28 MX$145

11.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BAM 14.56

$8.43 MX$148

0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 BAM 20.01

$10.68 MX$187

9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.45

$2.61 MX$45.76

-44.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.80

$1.44 MX$25.22

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.32

$1.96 MX$34.41

-1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.45

$2.09 MX$36.74

-3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.85 MX$32.47

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.89

$2.17 MX$38.02

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.03 MX$18.09

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$1.07 MX$18.84

-33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 BAM 6.47

$4.10 MX$72.0

-7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 6.91

$10.17 MX$178

-60.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.22

$1.68 MX$29.38

-57.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$2.53 MX$44.31

-57.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$0.51 MX$8.93

256.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.23 BAM 60.3

$26.04 MX$457

35.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$3.23 MX$56.7

-55.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$2.41 MX$42.19

-54.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 BAM 12.38

$3.23 MX$56.6

124.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.32 MX$23.17

12.12%

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

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-5.04%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

10.42%

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

$174 BAM 298

$82.0 MX$1,439

112.41%

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

$19.43 BAM 33.23

$22.95 MX$403

-15.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 BAM 41.10

$30.11 MX$528

-20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.92 BAM 51.2

$52.0 MX$912

-42.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.97

$18.53 MX$325

-40.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 BAM 7.99

$4.98 MX$87.3

-6.22%

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

$207 BAM 354

$197 MX$3,463

4.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,319

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-30.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$35.60 MX$624

97.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 BAM 62.9

$40.33 MX$707

-8.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 BAM 150

$78.8 MX$1,381

11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 BAM 195

$88.9 MX$1,560

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 448

$947 MX$16.6K

-72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$474 MX$8,314

-64.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 621

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-77.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 537

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 BAM 4,259

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-38.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 BAM 3,107

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-71.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 BAM 1,500

$654 MX$11.5K

34.12%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Neum and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 34% 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 $217 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 32% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $1,256 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $262 in Neum versus $947 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 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $207 in Neum versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,256 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.