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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,831 per month in Noord vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,105 per month in Noord vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,378 per month in Noord vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Noord costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Noord sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.38 AWG 41.84

$11.60 MX$200

101.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 AWG 156

$47.11 MX$812

84.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$2.94 AWG 5.25

$1.43 MX$24.60

105.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 AWG 3.51

$0.82 MX$14.22

139.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.69 AWG 15.56

$3.19 MX$55.0

172.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 AWG 16.56

$6.79 MX$117

36.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 AWG 3.43

$1.68 MX$28.89

13.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$2.20 MX$37.88

35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 AWG 5.08

$1.71 MX$29.45

66.08%

Eggs

$6.32 AWG 11.30

$2.74 MX$47.26

130.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 AWG 22.24

$9.58 MX$165

29.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 AWG 16.76

$9.01 MX$155

3.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.53

$12.81 MX$221

-6.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 AWG 8.51

$2.89 MX$49.81

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.50 MX$25.81

54.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.05 AWG 9.03

$2.15 MX$37.03

134.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 AWG 6.37

$2.26 MX$38.96

57.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 AWG 4.03

$1.98 MX$34.15

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 AWG 3.62

$1.99 MX$34.30

1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 AWG 4.71

$1.23 MX$21.28

113.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 AWG 2.80

$1.20 MX$20.63

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 AWG 18.08

$4.55 MX$78.5

122.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 AWG 18.23

$10.37 MX$179

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.82 AWG 10.42

$1.62 MX$27.91

259.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 AWG 7.79

$2.88 MX$49.67

51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.73 AWG 4.89

$1.54 MX$26.48

77.27%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 AWG 2,667

$1,063 MX$18.3K

40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 AWG 2,134

$390 MX$6,728

205.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,848 AWG 5,096

$2,149 MX$37.1K

32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 AWG 4,488

$1,272 MX$21.9K

97.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Noord: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Noord versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Noord versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $276 – 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

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

Noord costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,747 per month in Noord and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,831 in Noord and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Noord, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Noord at $1,831. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noord it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,831 in Noord. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Noord makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.