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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 in Altos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $358 in Altos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $477 in Altos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 439% more expensive than Altos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Altos 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.49 ₲3,064

191.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.63 ₲3,932

198.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.02 ₲6,362

59.80%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.90 ₲11.9K

38.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.97 ₲37.4K

37.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.44 ₲21.6K

140.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.60 ₲35.1K

98.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.42 ₲15.2K

9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.32 ₲8,251

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.38 ₲8,659

44.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.75 ₲11.0K

18.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.23 ₲7,690

45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.62 ₲10.2K

34.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.18 ₲7,417

-8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.51 ₲3,200

103.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.08 ₲50.6K

26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.72 ₲4,495

140.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.82 ₲5,149

204.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.41 ₲2,599

26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$12.07 ₲75.6K

123.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.85 ₲5,296

269.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.73 ₲4,561

228.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.17 ₲7,351

8.55%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.0K ₲119.2M

62.35%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.1K ₲144.5M

1.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$34.51 ₲216.2K

137.64%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.90 ₲49.5K

184.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$13.95 ₲87.4K

112.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.56 ₲22.3K

39.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$25.16 ₲157.6K

44.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,521 ₲9.5M

159.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,004 ₲6.3M

542.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$494 ₲3.1M

45.71%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Altos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 46% 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 439% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 46% 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 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 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $239 in Altos versus $1,287 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 439% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.