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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,411 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,975 in Alexandria.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 49% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Alexandria 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$9.27 RON 42.31

26.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$32.98 RON 151

27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.86 RON 31.31

53.21%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.87 RON 8.52

91.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.94 RON 8.85

-22.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.65 RON 7.53

-44.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.37 RON 10.80

24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.84 RON 12.98

55.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.39 RON 6.37

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.21 RON 5.51

55.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.41 RON 6.44

10.64%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.35 RON 6.16

93.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$5.41 RON 24.69

53.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.53 RON 20.69

84.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.83 RON 40.31

22.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$0.89 RON 4.05

204.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.56 RON 7.13

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.12 RON 5.10

66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.18 RON 5.40

85.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.44 RON 2.03

322.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.71 RON 3.25

214.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.48 RON 2.18

122.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.66 RON 3.03

65.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.44 RON 24.85

-22.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$5.35 RON 24.42

94.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.71 RON 3.23

133.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$0.93 RON 4.26

180.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.67 RON 3.04

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$23.47 RON 107

11.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.44 RON 2.02

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.44 RON 2.00

445.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.99 RON 22.79

-37.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.57 RON 7.19

-16.56%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$17.9K RON 81.9K

66.10%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$23.6K RON 108.0K

-1.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$119 RON 545

-31.87%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$7.10 RON 32.42

217.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$6.81 RON 31.12

341.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$37.79 RON 173

40.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$9.06 RON 41.35

102.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$4.51 RON 20.59

9.09%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$428 RON 1,955

-53.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,898 RON 31.5K

-24.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$69.6 RON 318

-48.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$33.86 RON 155

18.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$67.9 RON 310

17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$69.2 RON 316

24.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$343 RON 1,565

185.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$232 RON 1,058

103.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$821 RON 3,748

101.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$576 RON 2,630

108.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,282 RON 5,854

208.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$827 RON 3,775

699.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$882 RON 4,027

-23.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $343 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alexandria pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $33.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $155 per month, with Alexandria 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

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 49% 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.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Alexandria. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $343 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Alexandria – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 11% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $847 in Alexandria versus $1,260 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $847 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.