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

🙂 Solo nomad: Pale is 29.7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 22.3% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Pale is 1.3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 37.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.15 BAM 12.06
$11.99 MX$227
-40.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.49 BAM 59.9
$42.47 MX$803
-16.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 BAM 14.6
$10.47 MX$198
-17.38%
Cappuccino
$1.6 BAM 2.7
$3.6 MX$68.2
-55.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 BAM 3.24
$1.44 MX$27.16
33.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 BAM 1.95
$0.89 MX$16.79
30.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.1 BAM 3.54
$3.09 MX$58.5
-32.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 BAM 4.04
$4.58 MX$86.6
-47.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.4 BAM 2.36
$1.38 MX$26.04
1.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 BAM 2.05
$1.85 MX$34.9
-34.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.6 BAM 2.7
$1.57 MX$29.68
1.91%
Eggs
$2.95 BAM 4.98
$2.55 MX$48.3
15.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.21 BAM 15.55
$8.61 MX$163
6.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.51 BAM 14.36
$8.54 MX$161
-0.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 BAM 21.21
$10.98 MX$208
14.48%
Apples (1kg)
$1.4 BAM 2.36
$2.72 MX$51.4
-48.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 BAM 3.06
$1.51 MX$28.57
20.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 BAM 3.35
$1.88 MX$35.63
5.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 BAM 3.62
$2.19 MX$41.42
-2.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 BAM 1.95
$1.87 MX$35.3
-37.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.29 BAM 2.18
$2.19 MX$41.37
-41.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 BAM 2.17
$1.07 MX$20.23
19.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 BAM 1.26
$1.09 MX$20.64
-32.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.75 BAM 6.32
$3.96 MX$74.9
-5.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 BAM 11.9
$8.86 MX$167
-20.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 BAM 1.77
$1.72 MX$32.53
-38.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 BAM 2.21
$2.61 MX$49.37
-49.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 BAM 2.98
$0.52 MX$9.74
240.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.64 BAM 60.2
$26.59 MX$503
34.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 BAM 2.55
$3.24 MX$61.2
-53.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 BAM 1.39
$2.38 MX$44.94
-65.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.77 BAM 14.81
$3.11 MX$58.7
181.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 BAM 2.5
$1.31 MX$24.85
12.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K BAM 44K
$30.3K MX$573K
-14.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K BAM 46.1K
$24K MX$453.6K
13.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 BAM 285
$84.2 MX$1,592
100.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.83 BAM 31.78
$22.14 MX$419
-14.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.37 BAM 39.44
$30.14 MX$570
-22.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.49 BAM 39.64
$52 MX$983
-54.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.74 BAM 14.75
$18.72 MX$354
-53.31%
Cinema Ticket
$4.84 BAM 8.17
$5.07 MX$95.9
-4.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$242 BAM 408
$200 MX$3,787
20.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,364 BAM 5,678
$5,333 MX$100.8K
-36.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.9 BAM 125
$35.74 MX$676
106.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.62 BAM 61.8
$39.8 MX$753
-7.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 BAM 171
$79 MX$1,493
28.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 BAM 212
$88.4 MX$1,671
42.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$187 BAM 316
$965 MX$18.3K
-80.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 BAM 260
$474 MX$8,968
-67.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$288 BAM 486
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-82.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$222 BAM 376
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-81.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,403 BAM 2,369
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-54.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,203 BAM 2,030
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-84.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pale
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 BAM 1,245
$792 MX$15K
-6.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.07
11.42
-64.36%

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

Last update for Pale: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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