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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,051 in Ballito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,501 in Ballito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,951 in Ballito.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 20% more expensive than in Ballito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ballito 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.72 R 127

51.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$28.03 R 461

49.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.01 R 82.5

109.78%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.00 R 32.89

79.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.89 R 14.61

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.72 R 11.85

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.92 R 31.53

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.22 R 36.59

98.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.98 R 16.17

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.75 R 12.43

150.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.47 R 24.24

6.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.07 R 34.06

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.11 R 101

36.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.42 R 72.8

88.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.42 R 106

69.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.42 R 23.44

90.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.42 R 23.38

6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.34 R 22.01

39.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.95 R 15.65

130.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.78 R 12.92

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.17 R 19.30

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.02 R 16.82

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.95 R 15.59

14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.04 R 49.98

37.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.85 R 79.9

115.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.32 R 21.73

25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.76 R 28.99

48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.67 R 27.44

-67.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$25.51 R 420

2.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.66 R 27.25

85.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.56 R 9.20

328.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.80 R 112

-53.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.26 R 20.76

3.97%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.5K R 337.4K

45.45%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.2K R 365.8K

4.95%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$104 R 1,710

-21.75%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$20.79 R 342

8.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.29 R 466

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$30.61 R 504

72.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$10.98 R 181

67.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.49 R 90.3

-10.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$140 R 2,300

43.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,473 R 40.7K

109.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$41.58 R 684

-13.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.33 R 499

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.5 R 930

41.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$71.6 R 1,178

20.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$367 R 6,042

166.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$451 R 7,417

4.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$691 R 11.4K

139.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$700 R 11.5K

71.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,442 R 23.7K

-53.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.01

-4.91%

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 Ballito: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $367 in Ballito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballito pays 113% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Ballito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $157 per month, with Ballito cheaper across the board.

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 Ballito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballito is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 113% lower in Ballito. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $367 in Ballito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ballito – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,051 in Ballito – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,051 in Ballito versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ballito but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ballito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ballito 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ballito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ballito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.