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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $783 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,254 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,724 in Belem.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 60% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Belem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.43 R$22.66

170.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$28.89 R$148

44.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.26 R$32.02

71.73%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.60 R$8.16

118.75%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.93 R$4.73

55.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.47 R$2.38

87.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.60 R$8.16

84.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.51 R$17.93

28.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.15 R$5.90

24.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.11 R$10.79

-12.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.25 R$6.36

25.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.98 R$10.11

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.31 R$52.7

-19.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.95 R$20.18

113.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.71 R$34.28

59.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.71 R$8.74

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.73 R$8.83

-16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.29 R$6.59

51.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.46 R$7.47

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.92 R$4.72

101.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.55 R$2.81

294.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.03 R$5.27

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.35 R$6.88

-20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.49 R$12.74

64.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$9.88 R$50.5

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.31 R$6.70

28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$4.56 R$23.32

-44.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.74 R$3.80

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$21.48 R$110

21.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.11 R$5.67

190.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.74 R$3.79

225.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.84 R$45.17

-63.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.04 R$5.30

26.92%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$16.1K R$82.3K

84.38%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$29.0K R$148.0K

-18.28%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$111 R$568

-26.20%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$14.53 R$74.3

57.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$21.28 R$109

41.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.25 R$109

144.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$21.56 R$110

-14.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.21 R$31.76

-19.81%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$101 R$514

96.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,082 R$15.7K

73.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$32.98 R$169

7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$28.89 R$148

39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$75.8 R$387

3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$41.88 R$214

112.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$435 R$2,225

117.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$188 R$962

151.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$800 R$4,091

105.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$466 R$2,382

159.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,951 R$9,972

107.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,369 R$6,995

372.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$409 R$2,090

59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.2

-6.39%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $435 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $29.00 in Belem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $207 per month, with Belem 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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem 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.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.