Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Belize City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Belize City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,217 in Belize City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,782 in Belize City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,346 in Belize City.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than in Belize City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Belize City 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.47 BZD 12.94

79.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$50.1 BZD 100

-5.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.55 BZD 19.10

24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.60 BZD 7.19

10.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.74 BZD 3.47

-17.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.45 BZD 2.90

-43.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.60 BZD 5.20

22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.07 BZD 6.15

121.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.68 BZD 5.37

-37.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.42 BZD 4.84

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.23 BZD 6.46

-47.06%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.45 BZD 6.90

-20.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.62 BZD 13.25

44.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.94 BZD 15.89

13.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.72 BZD 15.44

65.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.24 BZD 6.49

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.52 BZD 3.04

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.52 BZD 5.05

-14.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.96 BZD 7.93

-42.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.83 BZD 7.66

-48.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.51 BZD 5.02

-20.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.29 BZD 4.57

-46.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.16 BZD 2.32

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.04 BZD 10.08

-9.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.86 BZD 19.72

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.58 BZD 5.17

-37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.35 BZD 6.71

-14.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.71 BZD 5.43

-77.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$4.42 BZD 8.85

21.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.41 BZD 4.81

-36.10%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$10.7K BZD 21.4K

110.92%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$366 BZD 733

-75.05%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$49.01 BZD 98.0

-48.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$46.30 BZD 92.6

-32.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$24.66 BZD 49.33

172.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$2.43 BZD 4.86

1097.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.89 BZD 9.77

-0.61%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$65.0 BZD 130

244.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$674 BZD 1,348

527.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$36.89 BZD 73.8

27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$24.95 BZD 49.91

77.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$55.2 BZD 110

45.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$37.01 BZD 74.0

150.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$348 BZD 696

205.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$193 BZD 386

102.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$560 BZD 1,120

283.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$329 BZD 658

286.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$202 BZD 404

1879.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$847 BZD 1,695

-10.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.5

-0.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Belize City: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $348 in Belize City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belize City pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $50.0 in Belize City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $295 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Belize City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belize City wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belize City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Belize City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $348 in Belize City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,217 in Belize City – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,217 in Belize City versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belize City but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Belize City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Belize City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,217 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Belize City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Belize City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.