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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Almeria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,409 in Almeria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,229 in Almeria.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 20% less than in Almeria, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Almeria is 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$17.56 €15.31

-33.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$61.4 €53.5

-23.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.35 €9.02

14.78%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.09 €1.83

90.43%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.88 €2.51

-50.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.14 €1.86

-61.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.37 €3.81

-27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.52 €3.94

50.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.30 €1.13

29.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.67 €1.46

31.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.98 €1.73

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.74 €3.26

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$18.38 €16.03

-47.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.24 €8.05

-2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.92 €13.01

-14.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.77 €2.42

4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.93 €1.68

-22.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.62 €1.41

32.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.46 €2.14

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.31 €2.88

-40.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.61 €3.15

-44.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.00 €1.75

-38.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.72 €0.63

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.72 €5.86

-32.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.70 €4.97

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.20 €1.04

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.62 €4.03

-37.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.18 €1.03

-49.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$31.57 €27.52

-8.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$9.71 €8.46

-44.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.30 €2.00

62.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$18.79 €16.38

-69.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.79 €1.56

-13.97%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$38.2K €33.3K

-41.01%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.6K €29.3K

-22.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$133 €116

-31.16%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$19.86 €17.31

26.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.49 €27.45

-0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$41.43 €36.12

62.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$14.01 €12.22

107.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.92 €6.90

-38.64%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$824 €718

-72.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$11.3K €9,861

-62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$94.0 €81.9

-49.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$37.21 €32.44

19.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$98.6 €86.0

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$129 €112

-28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$724 €631

46.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$566 €494

-31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,225 €1,068

75.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$934 €814

36.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,044 €1,781

95.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,606 €1,400

304.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,348 €1,175

-43.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.3

246.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Almeria: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $724 in Almeria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Almeria pays 78% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $61.0 in Almeria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $303 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 Almeria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Almeria. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $724 in Almeria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Almeria – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 10% less than in Almeria. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Almeria, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Almeria. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Almeria, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Almeria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Almeria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.