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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $236 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $363 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $489 in Altos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 434% more expensive than in Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.51 ₲3,027

174.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.59 ₲3,489

218.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.97 ₲5,760

60.82%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.96 ₲11.7K

33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.94 ₲35.2K

40.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.59 ₲21.3K

132.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.63 ₲33.4K

92.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.36 ₲14.0K

14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.33 ₲7,864

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.42 ₲8,427

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.79 ₲10.6K

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.23 ₲7,279

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.61 ₲9,577

38.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.22 ₲7,217

-12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 ₲3,062

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.87 ₲46.7K

32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.68 ₲4,035

144.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.78 ₲4,639

234.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.39 ₲2,303

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.93 ₲70.8K

119.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.79 ₲4,688

289.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.67 ₲3,972

258.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.17 ₲6,949

11.97%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.2K ₲113.8M

55.33%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.3K ₲138.0M

0.28%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$34.36 ₲203.8K

136.55%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$7.83 ₲46.5K

188.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$14.06 ₲83.4K

113.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.49 ₲20.7K

40.97%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.06 ₲148.7K

43.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,487 ₲8.8M

165.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$992 ₲5.9M

566.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$494 ₲2.9M

37.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Altos: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 37% 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 434% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 69% 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 119% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $236 in Altos versus $1,260 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 434% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.