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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,284 in Parramatta versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,357 in Parramatta versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Parramatta versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Parramatta is roughly 76% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Parramatta is 70% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.58 A$23.10

$11.73 MX$203

41.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 A$111

$41.62 MX$720

90.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.37

$10.64 MX$184

-9.87%

Cappuccino

$3.35 A$4.67

$3.52 MX$60.9

-4.83%

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

$2.64 A$3.69

$1.51 MX$26.12

74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.13

$0.97 MX$16.84

130.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 A$9.15

$2.95 MX$51.0

122.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 A$10.03

$4.45 MX$77.0

61.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 A$2.10

$1.38 MX$23.93

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 A$3.70

$1.89 MX$32.72

40.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.46

$1.64 MX$28.32

7.93%

Eggs

$4.06 A$5.66

$2.51 MX$43.34

61.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 A$12.55

$8.34 MX$144

8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 A$11.38

$8.34 MX$144

-2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 A$19.97

$10.73 MX$186

33.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 A$4.63

$2.60 MX$45.04

27.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.73

$1.46 MX$25.20

83.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 A$4.32

$1.90 MX$32.87

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 A$6.43

$2.08 MX$35.91

122.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 A$3.22

$1.78 MX$30.71

29.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$2.19 MX$37.80

-4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 A$3.28

$1.04 MX$17.99

125.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 A$1.78

$1.08 MX$18.62

17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.30 A$42.22

$4.08 MX$70.6

642.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$19.63

$10.32 MX$178

36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.86 A$6.77

$1.71 MX$29.61

184.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.35

$2.58 MX$44.54

104.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 A$3.68

$0.51 MX$8.81

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 A$90.2

$26.46 MX$458

144.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.00 A$5.58

$3.26 MX$56.4

22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 A$2.22

$2.49 MX$43.09

-36.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.50 A$56.4

$3.25 MX$56.2

1146.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.66

$1.31 MX$22.61

-9.16%

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

$28.3K A$39.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-6.49%

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

$22.7K A$31.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-3.08%

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

$223 A$310

$82.9 MX$1,433

168.81%

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

$29.12 A$40.57

$22.22 MX$384

31.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.6

$29.34 MX$507

77.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.35 A$68.8

$51.6 MX$893

-4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 A$22.30

$18.32 MX$317

-12.61%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 A$19.62

$5.07 MX$87.6

177.71%

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

$1,747 A$2,434

$201 MX$3,473

769.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K A$18.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

159.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 A$102

$36.92 MX$639

97.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 A$79.9

$39.79 MX$688

44.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 A$136

$78.5 MX$1,357

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 A$163

$87.1 MX$1,506

33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 A$1,790

$973 MX$16.8K

32.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 A$1,506

$468 MX$8,090

130.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 A$2,784

$1,641 MX$28.4K

21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 A$2,377

$1,221 MX$21.1K

39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,189 A$8,625

$3,946 MX$68.3K

56.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,227 A$7,284

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-19.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,210 A$5,866

$664 MX$11.5K

534.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

11.42

-44.92%

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

Last update for Parramatta: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Parramatta and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Parramatta pays 534% 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: $79.0 in Parramatta vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Parramatta pays 534% 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: $1,284 in Parramatta versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,284 per month in Parramatta versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 145% less than in Parramatta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,284 in Parramatta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Parramatta. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Parramatta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Parramatta 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 76% less than in Parramatta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.