Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix: $842 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Phoenix

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$842

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phoenix and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phoenix and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $842 in Phoenix versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Phoenix $842
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,313 in Phoenix versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Phoenix $1,313
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,784 in Phoenix versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Phoenix $1,784
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Phoenix costs roughly 30% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phoenix 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MUR 102

$10.92 MX$205

-80.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.24 MUR 1,472

$43.37 MX$814

-27.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 MUR 353

$11.78 MX$221

-36.42%

Cappuccino

$5.40 MUR 255

$3.81 MX$71.5

41.73%

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

$0.65 MUR 30.75

$1.28 MX$24.07

-49.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.73

$0.78 MX$14.70

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MUR 99.4

$3.17 MX$59.5

-33.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 MUR 253

$4.93 MX$92.7

8.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MUR 70.9

$1.41 MX$26.40

6.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 MUR 18.93

$2.22 MX$41.62

-81.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 MUR 102

$1.42 MX$26.61

52.82%

Eggs

$5.01 MUR 236

$2.52 MX$47.36

98.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MUR 393

$7.70 MX$144

8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.30 MUR 297

$12.69 MX$238

-50.35%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 MUR 349

$2.78 MX$52.3

166.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.79 MUR 178

$1.37 MX$25.68

176.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 MUR 218

$2.55 MX$47.89

81.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MUR 72.2

$2.12 MX$39.86

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MUR 41.92

$1.94 MX$36.39

-54.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MUR 38.31

$1.89 MX$35.41

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MUR 33.15

$1.15 MX$21.53

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.73

$1.18 MX$22.13

-35.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 MUR 497

$9.95 MX$187

5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MUR 97.2

$1.58 MX$29.73

30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 MUR 48.75

$0.55 MX$10.39

87.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.76 MUR 507

$26.62 MX$500

-59.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 MUR 68.6

$3.33 MX$62.5

-56.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MUR 60.9

$1.44 MX$27.11

-10.42%

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

$20.7K MX$388.0K

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

$23.5K MX$440.5K

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

$84.8 MX$1,592

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

$14.45 MUR 681

$23.41 MX$439

-38.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.12 MUR 1,184

$28.66 MX$538

-12.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.60 MUR 1,207

$57.1 MX$1,071

-55.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 MUR 254

$5.14 MX$96.5

4.86%

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

$207 MX$3,878

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 MUR 2,526

$43.35 MX$814

23.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MUR 2,519

$41.44 MX$778

28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,393

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,676

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 MUR 25.0K

$980 MX$18.4K

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 MUR 15.2K

$381 MX$7,150

-15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 MUR 40.3K

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-49.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MUR 24.7K

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-51.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$939 MUR 44.2K

$735 MX$13.8K

27.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Phoenix: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Phoenix

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $531 in Phoenix and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31 in Phoenix vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $255 per month, with Phoenix cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇺 Phoenix

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

00:19 12:19 AM

15:19 3:19 PM

9 h behind Phoenix

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,289

149,923

💱 Currency

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.9 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇺 Mauritian Rupee (₨)

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 47.13 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.62 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to MUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phoenix Playa del Carmen 16,330 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $842 in Phoenix and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, so Phoenix is about 30% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Phoenix, 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: $531 in Phoenix versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $842 per month in Phoenix versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Phoenix is about 30% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $842 in Phoenix versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.