Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Beau Vallon Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Beau Vallon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,036 in Beau Vallon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,700 in Beau Vallon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,365 in Beau Vallon.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than in Beau Vallon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Beau Vallon 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.02 MX$221
$6.07 MUR 282
114.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.25 MX$784
$39.93 MUR 1,856
15.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.59 MX$213
$6.34 MUR 295
98.58%
Cappuccino
$4.00 MX$67.9
$2.55 MUR 119
56.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 MX$24.08
$1.08 MUR 50.0
31.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 MX$13.73
$0.59 MUR 27.22
37.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 MX$51.7
$3.24 MUR 151
-5.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.82 MX$116
$3.74 MUR 174
82.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 MX$29.04
$1.55 MUR 72.1
10.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$37.62
$0.69 MUR 31.99
221.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 MX$29.13
$1.16 MUR 54.0
48.28%
Eggs
$2.71 MX$45.99
$2.49 MUR 116
8.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.37 MX$159
$5.32 MUR 247
76.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.86 MX$150
$5.58 MUR 259
58.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.78 MX$217
$12.06 MUR 561
5.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 MX$53.0
$2.28 MUR 106
37.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 MX$26.24
$2.40 MUR 111
-35.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.51
$1.26 MUR 58.8
70.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.35 MX$39.89
$3.40 MUR 158
-30.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$34.23
$1.01 MUR 47.04
100.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.67
$0.98 MUR 45.76
103.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.09
$0.64 MUR 29.71
93.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 MX$20.21
$0.76 MUR 35.40
56.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.65 MX$78.8
$6.95 MUR 323
-33.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.47 MX$177
$9.06 MUR 421
15.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$26.82
$1.72 MUR 80.0
-8.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 MX$49.48
$2.57 MUR 120
13.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.53
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.76 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.32 MX$90.2
$4.44 MUR 207
19.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.72 MX$63.0
$3.57 MUR 166
4.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$97.9
$23.07 MUR 1,073
-74.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$26.27
$1.44 MUR 66.8
7.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K MX$379.1K
$33.2K MUR 1.5M
-32.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K MX$433.3K
$30.3K MUR 1.4M
-15.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.3 MX$1,513
$46.37 MUR 2,156
92.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.30 MX$395
$10.09 MUR 469
130.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.72 MX$538
$33.38 MUR 1,552
-4.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,165
$35.37 MUR 1,644
94.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.40 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.06 MX$85.7
$6.06 MUR 282
-16.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 MX$3,765
$132 MUR 6,150
67.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,293 MX$72.7K
$7,125 MUR 331.3K
-39.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.21 MX$783
$71.0 MUR 3,299
-34.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.43 MX$753
$69.4 MUR 3,228
-36.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.5 MX$1,618
$123 MUR 5,709
-22.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.5 MX$1,568
$84.4 MUR 3,925
9.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 MX$18.1K
$639 MUR 29.7K
67.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 MX$6,663
$453 MUR 21.1K
-13.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,988 MX$33.7K
$1,165 MUR 54.2K
70.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,304 MX$22.1K
$869 MUR 40.4K
50.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,037 MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,627 MX$112.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Beau Vallon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$747 MX$12.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.6
6.34
82.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Beau Vallon: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $639 in Beau Vallon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Beau Vallon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $213 per month, with Beau Vallon 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 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $1,554 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $639 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 in Beau Vallon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 and in Beau Vallon?
All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,036 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Beau Vallon?
At $1,036 in Beau Vallon versus $1,330 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.

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