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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $358 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $480 in Altos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 447% more expensive than Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.51 ₲3,107

180.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.61 ₲3,708

211.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.03 ₲6,243

52.43%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.88 ₲11.4K

40.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.97 ₲36.2K

41.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.52 ₲21.3K

143.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$5.47 ₲33.2K

101.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.42 ₲14.7K

11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.28 ₲7,778

17.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.42 ₲8,632

34.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.81 ₲11.0K

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.17 ₲7,123

59.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.56 ₲9,494

42.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.22 ₲7,425

-11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.48 ₲2,942

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$7.85 ₲47.6K

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.67 ₲4,095

150.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$0.83 ₲5,029

204.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.39 ₲2,340

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$11.95 ₲72.5K

120.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.84 ₲5,118

280.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.72 ₲4,369

241.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.18 ₲7,174

11.86%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$19.0K ₲115.6M

58.32%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$23.9K ₲145.2M

-2.23%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$35.26 ₲214.0K

130.71%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$8.23 ₲49.9K

172.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$13.79 ₲83.7K

117.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.55 ₲21.6K

45.35%

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$24.72 ₲150.0K

44.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,479 ₲9.0M

171.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$995 ₲6.0M

550.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$509 ₲3.1M

32.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Altos: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Altos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Altos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 447% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Altos runs roughly 120% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $237 in Altos versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Altos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Altos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Altos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 447% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.