๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,235 in Beliลกฤe.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,834 in Beliลกฤe.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,433 in Beliลกฤe.
๐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 3% more expensive than Beliลกฤe, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Beliลกฤe8% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$8.31โฌ7.16
42.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$40.17โฌ34.61
6.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$6.84โฌ5.90
55.70%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$2.05โฌ1.77
68.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$2.36โฌ2.03
-36.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$2.01โฌ1.73
-52.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.38โฌ2.05
27.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.35โฌ2.03
96.17%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$0.92โฌ0.79
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.66โฌ0.57
180.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.94โฌ2.53
-45.24%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.17โฌ2.73
-18.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$10.79โฌ9.30
-23.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$7.43โฌ6.40
12.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$11.26โฌ9.70
-5.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.15โฌ0.99
128.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.43โฌ1.23
4.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.63โฌ1.41
17.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.46โฌ2.12
-15.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.97โฌ0.84
91.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.18โฌ1.02
91.53%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.20โฌ1.04
-11.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.97โฌ0.84
12.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$5.50โฌ4.74
-24.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$7.08โฌ6.10
46.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.18โฌ1.02
45.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.92โฌ1.66
35.94%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$1.72โฌ1.48
-68.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$42.47โฌ36.59
-36.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$3.71โฌ3.19
-15.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$1.15โฌ0.99
118.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$5.76โฌ4.96
-45.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.68โฌ1.44
-24.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$32.2Kโฌ27.7K
-5.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$27.5Kโฌ23.7K
-14.19%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$123โฌ106
-32.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$17.63โฌ15.19
28.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$26.57โฌ22.90
10.88%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$26.03โฌ22.43
95.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$14.48โฌ12.48
26.59%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$5.22โฌ4.50
-5.56%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$349โฌ301
-43.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$2,796โฌ2,409
88.80%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$122โฌ105
-69.85%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$42.61โฌ36.71
-6.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$46.03โฌ39.66
73.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$58.4โฌ50.4
53.12%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$190โฌ164
403.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$469โฌ404
1.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$343โฌ295
380.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$775โฌ668
58.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$4,251โฌ3,663
-7.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$1,189โฌ1,024
443.32%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Beliลกฤe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$1,818โฌ1,566
-63.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
3.2
256.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Beliลกฤe: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $190 in Beliลกฤe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐBeliลกฤe pays 173% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
๐Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Beliลกฤe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $222 per month, with Beliลกฤe 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 Beliลกฤe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe?
Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $1,235 including rent). Beliลกฤe is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Beliลกฤe earns 173% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $190 in Beliลกฤe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $349 in Beliลกฤe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,235 in Beliลกฤe versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Beliลกฤe but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Beliลกฤe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Beliลกฤe safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Beliลกฤe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Beliลกฤe?
Expats usually find Beliลกฤe gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 3% 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