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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,294 in Perth versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,344 in Perth versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Perth versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Perth is 71% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 A$23.35

$11.73 MX$205

40.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$111

$41.62 MX$728

88.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 A$15.02

$10.64 MX$186

-0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.70 A$5.25

$3.52 MX$61.6

5.11%

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

$2.48 A$3.52

$1.51 MX$26.42

64.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 A$2.81

$0.97 MX$17.03

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 A$11.14

$2.95 MX$51.6

166.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 A$9.49

$4.45 MX$77.9

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 A$1.99

$1.38 MX$24.20

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 A$3.49

$1.89 MX$33.10

30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 A$2.78

$1.64 MX$28.65

19.51%

Eggs

$4.53 A$6.43

$2.51 MX$43.84

80.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 A$12.34

$8.34 MX$146

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$12.13

$8.34 MX$146

2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 A$19.85

$10.73 MX$188

30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.87

$2.60 MX$45.56

31.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 A$4.12

$1.46 MX$25.50

98.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.20

$1.90 MX$33.26

55.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 A$6.73

$2.08 MX$36.33

127.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.40

$1.78 MX$31.07

34.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 A$2.51

$2.19 MX$38.23

-19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 A$2.84

$1.04 MX$18.20

92.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.15

$1.08 MX$18.84

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.13 A$45.58

$4.08 MX$71.4

687.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 A$18.51

$10.32 MX$181

26.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 A$5.56

$1.71 MX$29.96

129.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.86

$2.58 MX$45.06

60.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 A$4.22

$0.51 MX$8.92

482.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.5 A$103

$26.46 MX$463

173.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 A$5.70

$3.26 MX$57.1

23.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.01

$2.49 MX$43.59

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.71 A$69.1

$3.25 MX$56.8

1398.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 A$1.59

$1.31 MX$22.87

-14.50%

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

$28.7K A$40.7K

$30.3K MX$529.8K

-5.20%

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

$24.1K A$34.2K

$23.4K MX$410.0K

2.80%

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

$156 A$222

$82.9 MX$1,450

88.62%

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

$28.43 A$40.33

$22.22 MX$389

27.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 A$80.1

$29.34 MX$513

92.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.39 A$58.7

$51.6 MX$903

-19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.53 A$22.03

$18.32 MX$321

-15.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 A$23.03

$5.07 MX$88.6

220.12%

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

$1,810 A$2,567

$201 MX$3,514

801.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K A$16.7K

$5,212 MX$91.2K

126.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 A$98.7

$36.92 MX$646

88.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 A$69.4

$39.79 MX$696

22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 A$145

$78.5 MX$1,373

30.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$149

$87.1 MX$1,524

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 A$2,156

$973 MX$17.0K

56.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,610

$468 MX$8,184

142.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 A$3,583

$1,641 MX$28.7K

53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 A$2,568

$1,221 MX$21.4K

48.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,858 A$9,728

$3,946 MX$69.0K

73.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,398 A$7,657

$6,498 MX$113.7K

-16.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 A$6,157

$664 MX$11.6K

553.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

11.42

-43.78%

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

Last update for Perth: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,520 in Perth and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Perth pays 554% 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: $78.0 in Perth vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 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

Perth 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.

Perth pays 554% 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: $1,520 in Perth versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 174% less than in Perth. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,810 in Perth versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,294 in Perth, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Perth. 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 Perth, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Perth 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 Perth. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.