😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,023 in Bel Air.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,709 in Bel Air.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,395 in Bel Air.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than Bel Air, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Bel Air24% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$6.72MUR 314
77.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$43.62MUR 2,039
-1.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$7.31MUR 342
44.87%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.13MUR 52.7
220.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.04MUR 48.43
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.56MUR 26.33
67.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$1.68MUR 78.3
83.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$3.21MUR 150
38.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.64MUR 76.8
-12.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$0.71MUR 33.30
164.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.27MUR 59.4
28.35%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.31MUR 108
14.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$11.68MUR 546
-29.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$6.12MUR 286
35.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$12.70MUR 594
-12.60%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.97MUR 92.1
34.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.96MUR 91.6
-23.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.50MUR 70.3
32.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$2.62MUR 123
-20.61%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.03MUR 48.07
73.79%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$0.92MUR 43.16
136.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.78MUR 36.54
38.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.76MUR 35.69
36.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$6.76MUR 316
-41.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$8.61MUR 403
18.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.72MUR 80.5
0.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$2.15MUR 100
16.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.04MUR 48.56
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$4.48MUR 210
-29.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$2.64MUR 123
-9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$19.76MUR 924
-84.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.46MUR 68.5
-13.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$35.4KMUR 1.7M
-12.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$28.6KMUR 1.3M
-18.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$50.4MUR 2,354
62.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$18.45MUR 863
21.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$33.73MUR 1,577
-12.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$38.42MUR 1,796
35.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.07MUR 284
-18.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$153MUR 7,153
29.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$3,956MUR 184.9K
33.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$86.4MUR 4,039
-57.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$80.2MUR 3,751
-50.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$131MUR 6,141
-39.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$95.7MUR 4,473
-7.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$512MUR 23.9K
88.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$355MUR 16.6K
30.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$950MUR 44.4K
67.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$719MUR 33.6K
68.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bel Air
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Bel Air: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $512 in Bel Air. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Bel Air. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $230, with Bel Air cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Bel Air: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Bel Air?
Bel Air wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bel Air the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Bel Air?
You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,534 in Bel Air 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Bel Air?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $512 in Bel Air. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Bel Air?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Bel Air?
All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,023 in Bel Air – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Bel Air?
At $1,023 in Bel Air versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bel Air but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bel Air the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Bel Air?
Both work as nomad bases, but Bel Air delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bel Air hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Bel Air?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bel Air 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bel Air gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% 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 otros destinos: coste de vida comparado