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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,081 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,681 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,281 in Alexandra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Alexandra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Alexandra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Alexandra 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$197

$8.77 R 146

25.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$806

$36.71 R 611

22.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$214

$5.26 R 87.5

126.62%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.4

$2.23 R 37.05

70.40%

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

$1.31 MX$23.58

$1.08 R 17.90

21.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.39

$0.82 R 13.59

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$57.7

$2.27 R 37.71

41.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.1

$2.72 R 45.25

84.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.21

$1.15 R 19.20

26.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$41.83

$1.12 R 18.65

108.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.93

$1.76 R 29.22

-18.18%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.25

$2.49 R 41.37

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$138

$8.12 R 135

-5.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$142

$4.79 R 79.7

64.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$230

$7.04 R 117

81.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.4

$1.71 R 28.42

70.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.56

$1.65 R 27.39

-13.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.12

$1.78 R 29.58

44.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.42

$1.56 R 25.88

37.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.00

$1.12 R 18.58

74.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.80

$1.21 R 20.10

60.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.69

$1.17 R 19.54

-1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$21.95

$1.28 R 21.22

-4.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$78.7

$3.33 R 55.4

31.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$177

$5.23 R 87.0

88.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.64

$1.52 R 25.28

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$48.81

$1.95 R 32.42

39.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.44

$1.51 R 25.10

-65.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.3

$0.29 R 4.77

1593.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.3

$0.81 R 13.51

334.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$102

$14.50 R 241

-60.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.68

$1.55 R 25.84

-0.65%

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

$21.2K MX$381.8K

$34.8K R 579.4K

-39.03%

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

$24.5K MX$440.2K

$32.3K R 537.3K

-24.20%

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

$83.6 MX$1,503

$150 R 2,489

-44.12%

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

$24.03 MX$432

$36.74 R 611

-34.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$527

$36.44 R 606

-19.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

$33.49 R 557

93.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$530

$9.98 R 166

195.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.4

$7.36 R 122

-30.84%

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

$208 MX$3,733

$242 R 4,025

-14.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$72.7K

$5,496 R 91.4K

-26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$801

$52.4 R 871

-14.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$756

$31.36 R 522

34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,358

$90.5 R 1,505

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,642

$83.6 R 1,390

9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

$437 R 7,262

125.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,924

$367 R 6,098

5.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

$697 R 11.6K

145.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

$746 R 12.4K

48.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

$896 R 14.9K

348.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

$642 R 10.7K

872.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

$1,739 R 28.9K

-56.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.91

4.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Alexandra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 129% higher in Alexandra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Alexandra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $190 – making Alexandra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Alexandra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,622 in Alexandra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $1,081 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $208 per month in Playa del Carmen and $242 in Alexandra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,081 versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.