😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $982 in Beau Vallon.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,590 in Beau Vallon.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,198 in Beau Vallon.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than Beau Vallon, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen6% lower, Beau Vallon27% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61MX$201
$6.52MUR 301
78.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$742
$44.01MUR 2,035
-2.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.60MX$184
$6.69MUR 309
58.45%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.3
$2.58MUR 119
39.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.21
$1.03MUR 47.48
40.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90MX$15.58
$0.59MUR 27.39
52.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$2.13MUR 98.3
42.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56MX$79.2
$2.68MUR 124
70.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45MX$25.20
$1.46MUR 67.4
-0.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83MX$31.72
$0.70MUR 32.54
161.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.92
$1.29MUR 59.5
24.81%
Eggs
$2.54MX$44.05
$2.34MUR 108
8.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.54MX$148
$9.74MUR 450
-12.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.47MX$147
$6.34MUR 293
33.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$189
$10.63MUR 491
2.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.37
$2.07MUR 95.6
31.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.91
$2.00MUR 92.4
-25.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.94MX$33.73
$1.50MUR 69.3
29.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.57
$2.65MUR 123
-18.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.05
$0.97MUR 45.00
90.72%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$38.00
$1.00MUR 46.38
119.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.62
$0.83MUR 38.43
28.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.81
$0.57MUR 26.19
89.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06MX$70.5
$6.22MUR 288
-34.73%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.46MX$182
$7.91MUR 366
32.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65MX$28.71
$1.72MUR 79.7
-4.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55MX$44.23
$2.18MUR 101
16.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.56MX$9.65
$0.99MUR 45.91
-43.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.20MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.5
$4.28MUR 198
-26.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.37MX$41.17
$2.66MUR 123
-10.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.2
$15.11MUR 699
-78.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.81
$1.41MUR 65.3
-7.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5KMX$530.2K
$35.5KMUR 1.6M
-13.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8KMX$413.6K
$28.4KMUR 1.3M
-16.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.1MX$1,443
$50.4MUR 2,333
64.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15MX$385
$18.20MUR 842
21.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37MX$510
$32.22MUR 1,490
-8.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.2MX$889
$38.24MUR 1,769
33.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69MX$324
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.89MX$84.9
$5.96MUR 276
-17.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$199MX$3,449
$154MUR 7,137
28.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,207MX$90.4K
$3,953MUR 182.8K
31.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93MX$624
$50.4MUR 2,333
-28.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39MX$684
$44.64MUR 2,065
-11.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.3MX$1,394
$83.3MUR 3,851
-3.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6MX$1,520
$79.4MUR 3,672
10.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.7K
$509MUR 23.5K
89.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482MX$8,370
$349MUR 16.2K
38.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,645MX$28.6K
$947MUR 43.8K
73.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,192MX$20.7K
$733MUR 33.9K
62.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,957MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,513MX$113.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$726MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.25
82.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Last update for Beau Vallon: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $509 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $44 in Beau Vallon. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $214, with Beau Vallon cheaper for home cooking.
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 Beau Vallon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beau Vallon cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Beau Vallon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,894 in Playa del Carmen and $1,474 in Beau Vallon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Beau Vallon?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Beau Vallon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Beau Vallon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Beau Vallon?
All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $982 in Beau Vallon – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Beau Vallon?
At $982 in Beau Vallon versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beau Vallon but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Beau Vallon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Beau Vallon more family-friendly?
For families, Beau Vallon 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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Beau Vallon?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Beau Vallon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Beau Vallon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. 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