Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Antrim

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,403 in Antrim, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Antrim, United Kingdom
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Antrim
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,403
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Antrim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Antrim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,403 in Antrim.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Antrim $2,403

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,591 in Antrim.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Antrim $3,591

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,780 in Antrim.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Antrim $4,780

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Antrim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 12% below, Antrim is 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$24.18 £18.20
-54.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$94.1 £70.8
-53.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$10.60 £7.98
11.13%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$4.75 £3.57
-19.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$2.53 £1.90
-49.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$1.98 £1.49
-60.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$8.19 £6.16
-61.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$8.01 £6.03
-38.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.76 £1.33
-19.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$2.31 £1.74
-3.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$2.27 £1.71
-37.44%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$5.00 £3.76
-49.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$10.75 £8.09
-32.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$11.08 £8.34
-30.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$16.12 £12.13
-21.28%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.95 £2.22
-5.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.95 £1.47
-29.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$3.37 £2.54
-24.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$4.19 £3.15
-49.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$2.37 £1.79
-18.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$1.61 £1.21
17.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.33 £1.00
-13.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.93 £1.45
-38.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$23.98 £18.05
-82.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$12.13 £9.13
-17.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$3.20 £2.41
-50.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$3.27 £2.46
-18.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$6.98 £5.26
-92.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$97.6 £73.5
-72.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$4.58 £3.45
8.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$1.82 £1.37
82.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$29.31 £22.06
-81.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$2.13 £1.60
-32.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$39.1K £29.5K
-47.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$39.7K £29.9K
-40.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$264 £199
-67.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$16.96 £12.77
38.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$45.48 £34.23
-36.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$33.78 £25.42
68.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$9.48 £7.13
204.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$14.48 £10.90
-64.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$1,417 £1,066
-85.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$18.2K £13.7K
-78.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$83.1 £62.5
-47.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$46.87 £35.28
-11.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$107 £80.8
-30.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$104 £78.4
-14.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$1,225 £922
-20.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$1,011 £761
-62.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$2,105 £1,584
-18.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,661 £1,250
-35.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$5,128 £3,859
-23.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$3,904 £2,938
57.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Antrim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$3,004 £2,261
-75.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.91
133.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Antrim: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Antrim
$1K 166% $631
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Antrim
$352 38.3% $98
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Antrim
$357 76.5% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Antrim
$326 138% $189
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Antrim
$154 37.5% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Antrim
$63 6.8% $4.6
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Antrim
$139 176% $89

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,225 in Antrim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antrim pays about 4.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $94 in Antrim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $352 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇧 Antrim
🕒 Local time
20:22 8:22 PM
01:22 1:22 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
20,001
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Antrim 7,570 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Antrim

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Antrim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Antrim?
Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Antrim?
On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Playa del Carmen. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Antrim?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,225 in Antrim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Antrim?
All in, you’ll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,403 in Antrim – Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 73% less than in Antrim. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Antrim?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,403 in Antrim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Antrim. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Antrim?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Antrim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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