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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $184 in Belvaux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $226 in Belvaux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Belvaux.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 621% more expensive than in Belvaux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Belvaux 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$23.30 MX$395

$91.1 €77.9

-74.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$91.1 €77.9

-65.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$6,172 €5,280

-87.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Belvaux: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Belvaux pays 726% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Belvaux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belvaux wins on cost – living expenses run 621% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belvaux the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 726% lower in Belvaux. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

At $184 in Belvaux versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belvaux but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Belvaux the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Belvaux delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $184 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Belvaux hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Belvaux are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Belvaux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 621% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.