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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,431 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,967 in Alexandria.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Alexandria 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.64 JMD 1,206

56.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$63.5 JMD 10.0K

-34.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.82 JMD 1,392

21.88%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.31 JMD 679

-18.79%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.30 JMD 206

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.70 JMD 111

25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.46 JMD 388

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.15 JMD 497

43.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.20 JMD 663

-65.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.63 JMD 573

-49.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.62 JMD 255

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.57 JMD 563

-29.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.13 JMD 1,756

-25.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.31 JMD 995

33.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.49 JMD 1,182

42.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.16 JMD 972

-57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.09 JMD 488

-53.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.27 JMD 674

-54.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.95 JMD 465

-29.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.10 JMD 332

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.93 JMD 305

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.00 JMD 474

-65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.45 JMD 229

-26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.85 JMD 1,396

-53.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.40 JMD 1,799

-10.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.81 JMD 443

-40.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.20 JMD 505

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.08 JMD 171

199.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.21 JMD 507

-24.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.11 JMD 963

-47.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.23 JMD 194

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-32.10%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-29.94%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$162 JMD 25.5K

-49.32%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$21.86 JMD 3,449

4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.5 JMD 7,960

-40.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.21 JMD 2,084

-62.30%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$227 JMD 35.9K

-13.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,437 JMD 384.6K

118.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$25.71 JMD 4,057

38.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$26.05 JMD 4,111

54.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$72.1 JMD 11.4K

9.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $351 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $894 including rent). Alexandria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,342 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 $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $227 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 $64.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $894 in Alexandria versus $1,256 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 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.