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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $884 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,450 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,015 in Alexandria.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 47% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Alexandria 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.32 JMD 1,147

60.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$61.7 JMD 9,669

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.78 JMD 1,376

21.18%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.40 JMD 689

-20.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.36 JMD 213

11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.72 JMD 112

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.43 JMD 380

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.05 JMD 478

45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$4.24 JMD 665

-67.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.62 JMD 568

-47.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.55 JMD 243

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.46 JMD 543

-27.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.89 JMD 1,706

-23.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.30 JMD 988

32.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.49 JMD 1,174

43.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$6.05 JMD 948

-57.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.02 JMD 473

-51.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.15 JMD 650

-54.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.06 JMD 480

-32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.10 JMD 329

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.93 JMD 303

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.11 JMD 488

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.49 JMD 234

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$8.69 JMD 1,361

-53.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.55 JMD 1,809

-10.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.85 JMD 447

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.05 JMD 478

-15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.12 JMD 175

191.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.20 JMD 501

-22.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.11 JMD 957

-46.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.23 JMD 192

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-30.05%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-29.02%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$161 JMD 25.3K

-48.60%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.32 JMD 3,497

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$51.2 JMD 8,016

-42.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$13.40 JMD 2,100

-62.16%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$229 JMD 35.9K

-12.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,485 JMD 389.3K

109.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.84 JMD 4,049

42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.62 JMD 4,014

55.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$71.5 JMD 11.2K

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$76.2 JMD 11.9K

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $350 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Alexandria differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $884 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,326 in Alexandria 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.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $229 in Alexandria. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Alexandria – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $884 in Alexandria versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.