Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between New Plymouth and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,954 in New Plymouth versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,039 in New Plymouth versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,123 in New Plymouth versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in New Plymouth is roughly 50% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: New Plymouth is 42% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.90 NZ$25.33

$11.96 MX$203

24.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 NZ$119

$47.38 MX$803

47.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 NZ$17.71

$11.75 MX$199

-11.32%

Cappuccino

$3.51 NZ$5.97

$4.12 MX$69.9

-14.81%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$1.40 MX$23.71

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$0.91 MX$15.46

112.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 NZ$9.07

$3.21 MX$54.3

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 NZ$10.20

$7.07 MX$120

-15.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.68 MX$28.40

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 NZ$2.82

$2.15 MX$36.43

-22.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.77 MX$30.06

-2.26%

Eggs

$6.77 NZ$11.51

$2.82 MX$47.69

140.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 NZ$12.59

$9.20 MX$156

-19.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 NZ$21.91

$9.23 MX$156

39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 NZ$20.75

$12.64 MX$214

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 NZ$4.62

$2.95 MX$49.99

-7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$1.58 MX$26.75

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.46

$2.22 MX$37.65

44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 NZ$11.23

$2.36 MX$40.03

179.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$1.99 MX$33.76

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 NZ$2.50

$1.98 MX$33.53

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.24 MX$21.01

57.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 NZ$2.25

$1.21 MX$20.52

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.53 NZ$39.99

$4.60 MX$78.0

411.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 NZ$14.57

$10.52 MX$178

-18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 NZ$5.24

$1.69 MX$28.66

82.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 NZ$6.71

$2.77 MX$47.00

42.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$0.60 MX$10.21

196.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.5 NZ$132

$29.70 MX$503

160.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.8

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.54 MX$26.06

14.29%

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

$46.3K NZ$78.7K

$22.8K MX$386.3K

103.16%

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

$24.9K NZ$42.3K

$25.8K MX$437.3K

-3.54%

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

$131 NZ$223

$90.7 MX$1,536

44.59%

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

$29.98 NZ$51.0

$25.19 MX$427

19.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 NZ$83.3

$31.75 MX$538

54.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 NZ$75.2

$68.8 MX$1,165

-35.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.56 NZ$14.56

$4.86 MX$82.4

76.13%

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

$226 MX$3,823

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 NZ$148

$47.38 MX$803

83.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$736

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 NZ$158

$80.2 MX$1,359

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$200

$91.4 MX$1,548

28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 NZ$1,609

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-12.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,475

$409 MX$6,923

112.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 NZ$3,060

$1,972 MX$33.4K

-8.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 NZ$2,788

$1,281 MX$21.7K

27.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,767

$4,046 MX$68.5K

-16.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,739 NZ$4,655

$6,704 MX$113.6K

-59.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,889 NZ$4,911

$773 MX$13.1K

273.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

11.45

-48.21%

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

Last update for New Plymouth: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in New Plymouth and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Plymouth pays 274% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in New Plymouth vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

New Plymouth and Playa del Carmen differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,954 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 274% higher in New Plymouth, 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: $947 in New Plymouth versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $70.0 in New Plymouth. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 161% less than in New Plymouth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,954 in New Plymouth, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in New Plymouth. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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, New Plymouth 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in New Plymouth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.