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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $376 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $501 in Altos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 404% more expensive than in Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.48 ₲2,824

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.89 ₲5,276

147.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.02 ₲6,040

67.65%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.97 ₲11.6K

39.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.16 ₲36.4K

55.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.40 ₲20.1K

165.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.55 ₲32.8K

130.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.39 ₲14.1K

20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.32 ₲7,772

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.38 ₲8,160

55.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.83 ₲10.8K

23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.16 ₲6,840

70.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.39 ₲8,214

43.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.22 ₲7,175

0.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.87 ₲5,137

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$0.90 ₲5,309

405.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.11 ₲47.9K

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.68 ₲4,034

138.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$0.83 ₲4,877

246.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.42 ₲2,467

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$11.82 ₲69.8K

143.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.69 ₲9,962

218.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.68 ₲4,026

448.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.17 ₲6,885

31.62%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$19.1K ₲113.1M

17.76%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$23.9K ₲141.1M

9.07%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$35.67 ₲210.6K

156.18%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$7.99 ₲47.2K

215.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$13.78 ₲81.4K

126.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.52 ₲20.8K

38.07%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$25.13 ₲148.4K

87.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,503 ₲8.9M

166.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$997 ₲5.9M

551.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$497 ₲2.9M

52.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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 Altos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 53% 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 404% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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 78% 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 144% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $251 in Altos versus $1,266 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 404% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.