Cost of Living Comparison Between Penshurst, NSW and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Penshurst, NSW and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,222 in Penshurst, NSW versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,255 in Penshurst, NSW versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,288 in Penshurst, NSW versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Penshurst, NSW is roughly 77% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penshurst, NSW is 66% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.16 A$23.15

$11.99 MX$210

34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 A$114

$41.78 MX$733

89.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 A$13.73

$10.75 MX$189

-10.79%

Cappuccino

$3.33 A$4.77

$3.50 MX$61.3

-4.86%

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

$2.63 A$3.77

$1.45 MX$25.41

81.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 A$3.11

$0.88 MX$15.52

146.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.62 A$9.48

$2.95 MX$51.7

124.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 A$10.03

$4.51 MX$79.1

55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.14

$1.43 MX$25.12

4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 A$3.47

$1.84 MX$32.23

31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 A$2.83

$1.57 MX$27.51

26.11%

Eggs

$4.29 A$6.15

$2.51 MX$44.06

70.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 A$12.29

$8.28 MX$145

3.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 A$12.19

$8.43 MX$148

0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.65 A$19.56

$10.68 MX$187

27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 A$4.58

$2.61 MX$45.76

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 A$3.91

$1.44 MX$25.22

89.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.16

$1.96 MX$34.41

47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 A$6.04

$2.09 MX$36.74

101.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 A$3.58

$1.85 MX$32.47

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.11

$2.17 MX$38.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 A$2.97

$1.03 MX$18.09

100.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.26

$1.07 MX$18.84

47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.40 A$43.55

$4.10 MX$72.0

641.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 A$20.33

$10.17 MX$178

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 A$6.42

$1.68 MX$29.38

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 A$7.57

$2.53 MX$44.31

108.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.65

$0.51 MX$8.93

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 A$94.5

$26.04 MX$457

153.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 A$5.28

$3.23 MX$56.7

14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 A$2.25

$2.41 MX$42.19

-34.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.80 A$48.43

$3.23 MX$56.6

946.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 A$1.63

$1.32 MX$23.17

-13.64%

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

$29.1K A$41.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-2.12%

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

$22.8K A$32.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-3.60%

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

$181 A$259

$82.0 MX$1,439

120.74%

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

$27.47 A$39.35

$22.95 MX$403

19.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 A$75.8

$30.11 MX$528

75.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.15 A$69.0

$52.0 MX$912

-7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 A$22.81

$18.53 MX$325

-14.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 A$18.43

$4.98 MX$87.3

158.43%

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

$1,620 A$2,321

$197 MX$3,463

720.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K A$17.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

122.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 A$96.7

$35.60 MX$624

89.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.92 A$71.5

$40.33 MX$707

23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 A$141

$78.8 MX$1,381

24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 A$152

$88.9 MX$1,560

19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 A$1,774

$947 MX$16.6K

30.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 A$1,553

$474 MX$8,314

128.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 A$2,904

$1,644 MX$28.8K

23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 A$2,385

$1,211 MX$21.2K

37.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,559 A$7,965

$4,056 MX$71.1K

37.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,220 A$7,479

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.42

-44.48%

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

Last update for Penshurst, NSW: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,238 in Penshurst, NSW and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Penshurst, NSW vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 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

Penshurst, NSW 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,334 in Penshurst, NSW and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,238 in Penshurst, NSW versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,222 per month in Penshurst, NSW versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 77% 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 153% less than in Penshurst, NSW. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,222 in Penshurst, NSW, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Penshurst, NSW. 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 Penshurst, NSW, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Penshurst, NSW 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 77% less than in Penshurst, NSW. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.