Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Alcochete

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,509 in Alcochete, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Alcochete, Portugal
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Alcochete
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,509
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,509 in Alcochete, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Alcochete $1,509

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,370 in Alcochete, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Alcochete $2,370

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,230 in Alcochete, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Alcochete $3,230

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Alcochete, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Alcochete is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$11.35 €10.20
-3.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$44.74 €40.19
-3.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$9.25 €8.31
27.35%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$2.72 €2.45
40.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$2.15 €1.93
-40.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$1.44 €1.30
-45.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$3.40 €3.05
-6.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$5.56 €4.99
-11.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.09 €0.98
29.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$1.42 €1.27
56.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$1.60 €1.43
-11.25%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$3.31 €2.98
-23.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$10.25 €9.21
-29.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$7.03 €6.31
9.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$15.40 €13.83
-17.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.20 €1.98
26.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.46 €1.31
-6.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$2.44 €2.19
4.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$2.14 €1.92
-0.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$1.56 €1.40
24.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$2.39 €2.15
-20.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.66 €1.49
-30.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$0.47 €0.42
151.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$5.60 €5.03
-23.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$5.75 €5.17
73.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$1.28 €1.15
23.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$2.09 €1.88
27.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$1.98 €1.78
-72.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$41.58 €37.35
-35.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$2.26 €2.03
119.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$1.01 €0.90
229.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$14.58 €13.10
-63.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$1.99 €1.79
-27.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$33.0K €29.6K
-37.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$38.8K €34.8K
-39.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$50.0 €44.94
69.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$25.48 €22.89
-8.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$55.3 €49.65
-48.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$39.23 €35.24
45.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$15.00 €13.47
92.73%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$7.13 €6.40
-27.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$840 €754
-75.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$18.4K €16.5K
-78.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$77.9 €69.9
-44.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$37.56 €33.74
10.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$105 €94.0
-29.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$132 €118
-32.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$977 €878
0.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$675 €606
-43.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,530 €1,375
11.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,299 €1,167
-17.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$2,913 €2,617
35.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$2,143 €1,925
187.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Alcochete
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.67
211.99%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Alcochete: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Alcochete
$675 77.3% $294
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Alcochete
$241 5.5% $14
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Alcochete
$194 4.3% $8.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Alcochete
$131 4.4% $6.1
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Alcochete
$158 41.7% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Alcochete
$53 20.6% $14
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Alcochete
$57 12.6% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $977 in Alcochete. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $45 in Alcochete. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $241 in Alcochete – so Alcochete wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇹 Alcochete
🕒 Local time
08:05 8:05 AM
13:05 1:05 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
19,145
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Alcochete 7,590 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Alcochete

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
Playa del Carmen vs Alcochete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Alcochete compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $1,509 in Alcochete – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Alcochete?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,263 in Alcochete. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Alcochete?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $977 in Alcochete. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Alcochete – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $45 in Alcochete. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Alcochete at $1,509. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alcochete it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should digital nomads live: Playa del Carmen or Alcochete?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $1,509 in Alcochete. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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