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: $2,678 in Penshurst, NSW versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,805 in Penshurst, NSW versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,932 in Penshurst, NSW versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Penshurst, NSW is roughly 107% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penshurst, NSW is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.61 A$23.06

$11.71 MX$198

41.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 A$134

$46.59 MX$788

107.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 A$15.54

$11.65 MX$197

-3.95%

Cappuccino

$4.38 A$6.08

$4.09 MX$69.2

7.09%

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

$2.61 A$3.62

$1.37 MX$23.23

90.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 A$3.30

$0.83 MX$14.09

186.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 A$9.96

$3.35 MX$56.7

114.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 A$10.55

$6.91 MX$117

9.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 A$2.36

$1.73 MX$29.20

-1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 A$3.87

$2.26 MX$38.21

23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.25

$1.77 MX$29.91

32.20%

Eggs

$4.96 A$6.89

$2.73 MX$46.19

81.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 A$13.16

$9.18 MX$155

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 A$13.48

$8.92 MX$151

8.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 A$20.72

$12.60 MX$213

18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 A$4.99

$3.02 MX$51.1

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 A$4.33

$1.57 MX$26.55

98.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 A$4.68

$2.13 MX$35.93

58.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 A$6.68

$2.26 MX$38.28

112.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.84

$2.00 MX$33.88

38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 A$3.37

$2.06 MX$34.90

17.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 A$3.43

$1.18 MX$19.94

109.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 A$2.34

$1.20 MX$20.35

40.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.11 A$54.3

$4.63 MX$78.4

744.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.27 A$19.82

$10.69 MX$181

33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.11 A$7.10

$1.62 MX$27.38

215.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.65

$2.88 MX$48.70

91.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 A$4.18

$0.57 MX$9.69

428.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 A$132

$29.83 MX$504

219.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 A$5.22

$5.45 MX$92.1

-31.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 A$2.57

$3.70 MX$62.6

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.64 A$53.7

$5.98 MX$101

546.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 A$1.77

$1.55 MX$26.26

-17.42%

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

$31.3K A$43.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

40.05%

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

$29.6K A$41.1K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

14.05%

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

$214 A$297

$89.1 MX$1,507

140.27%

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

$31.06 A$43.12

$25.04 MX$423

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$77.3

$31.50 MX$532

76.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 A$79.4

$67.8 MX$1,146

-15.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 A$22.40

$28.92 MX$489

-44.19%

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 A$25.06

$5.05 MX$85.4

257.43%

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

$2,101 A$2,917

$225 MX$3,803

834.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K A$27.3K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

366.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 A$113

$47.44 MX$802

71.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 A$87.7

$44.98 MX$760

40.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 A$173

$82.0 MX$1,386

51.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 A$180

$92.1 MX$1,557

40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 A$1,803

$1,069 MX$18.1K

21.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 A$1,710

$405 MX$6,852

203.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 A$3,222

$1,935 MX$32.7K

19.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,958 A$2,718

$1,301 MX$22.0K

50.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,420 A$8,913

$3,995 MX$67.5K

60.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,474 A$6,210

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-32.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.45

-48.91%

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

Last update for Penshurst, NSW: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Penshurst, NSW and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $97.0 in Penshurst, NSW vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $277 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,017 in Penshurst, NSW and $1,940 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: $1,298 in Penshurst, NSW versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,678 per month in Penshurst, NSW versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 107% 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 220% less than in Penshurst, NSW. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,678 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 107% less than in Penshurst, NSW. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.