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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 68% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.43 R$22.39

164.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$28.57 R$145

45.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.16 R$31.15

72.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.59 R$8.07

121.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.93 R$4.71

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.44 R$2.20

120.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.60 R$8.12

84.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.70 R$18.74

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.16 R$5.86

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.10 R$10.63

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.23 R$6.24

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.02 R$10.21

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.65 R$53.9

-21.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.88 R$19.61

114.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.50 R$32.88

65.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.69 R$8.55

53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.66 R$8.40

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.23 R$6.25

54.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.45 R$7.35

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.92 R$4.66

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.56 R$2.84

291.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.03 R$5.22

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.34 R$6.78

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.38 R$12.04

71.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.65 R$48.83

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.36 R$6.88

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$4.43 R$22.42

-41.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.69 R$3.48

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$21.60 R$109

22.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.05 R$5.30

210.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.72 R$3.62

245.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$9.12 R$46.14

-64.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.08 R$5.46

21.30%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$16.2K R$81.7K

87.45%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$28.9K R$146.3K

-18.95%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$110 R$557

-24.77%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$14.40 R$72.8

54.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$21.23 R$107

38.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$20.77 R$105

148.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.71 R$110

-15.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.32 R$31.99

-19.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$97.4 R$493

106.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,133 R$15.9K

66.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$32.96 R$167

12.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$28.72 R$145

38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$75.0 R$379

4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$41.69 R$211

108.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$442 R$2,237

119.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$185 R$938

152.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$815 R$4,123

101.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$457 R$2,314

166.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,996 R$10.1K

97.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,420 R$7,186

357.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$392 R$1,982

69.45%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 69% 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 $206 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 69% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $442 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $97.4 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Belem versus $1,297 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 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.