😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Alexandria.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,383 in Alexandria.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,929 in Alexandria.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 54% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Alexandria38% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$9.31RON 40.49
28.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$32.78RON 143
30.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$6.73RON 29.29
57.36%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.86RON 8.08
94.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.98RON 8.60
-25.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$1.65RON 7.19
-43.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.33RON 10.13
32.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.72RON 11.83
63.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.34RON 5.85
6.72%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.27RON 5.54
48.03%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.35RON 5.86
20.74%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$1.40RON 6.07
88.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$5.22RON 22.69
57.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$4.55RON 19.80
82.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$8.64RON 37.58
28.47%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$0.96RON 4.19
176.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.59RON 6.90
-5.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.18RON 5.12
68.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.12RON 4.88
85.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$0.45RON 1.95
297.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$0.66RON 2.86
230.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.45RON 1.95
140.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.66RON 2.86
57.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$5.68RON 24.71
-30.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$5.71RON 24.85
78.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$0.66RON 2.86
162.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$0.95RON 4.14
163.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.66RON 2.87
-21.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$22.98RON 100.0
17.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$0.47RON 2.06
568.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.43RON 1.87
458.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$5.19RON 22.59
-40.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.64RON 7.14
-22.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$17.5KRON 76.3K
75.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$23.7KRON 103.0K
-1.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$118RON 512
-30.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$6.76RON 29.42
232.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$6.84RON 29.76
333.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$38.37RON 167
35.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$9.32RON 40.53
100.32%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$4.72RON 20.55
5.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$437RON 1,900
-54.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$6,929RON 30.1K
-23.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$68.1RON 296
-46.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$34.32RON 149
16.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$70.3RON 306
13.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$67.9RON 295
30.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$344RON 1,495
180.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$231RON 1,005
101.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$794RON 3,456
100.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$581RON 2,528
108.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$1,381RON 6,005
185.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$875RON 3,804
637.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Alexandria
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$1,349RON 5,867
-46.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.5
75.69%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Alexandria: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $344 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Alexandria pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $155 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Alexandria: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Alexandria?
Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Alexandria?
On paper, Alexandria earns 87% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Alexandria?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Alexandria?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $836 in Alexandria – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Alexandria?
A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Alexandria?
At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Alexandria?
Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado