Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Berry

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,612 in Berry, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Berry
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,612
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Berry

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Berry actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,612 in Berry, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,210
  • Berry $2,612

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,650 in Berry, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,113
  • Berry $3,650

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,689 in Berry, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,016
  • Berry $4,689

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Berry, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 10% below the global median, while Berry is 93% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76 MX$197
$20.62 A$29.53
-47.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.03 MX$787
$88.6 A$127
-51.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$216
$10.63 A$15.23
10.91%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$70.7
$4.02 A$5.76
-3.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$25.03
$3.01 A$4.31
-54.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.29
$2.48 A$3.55
-66.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 MX$56.7
$8.27 A$11.85
-62.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 MX$92.7
$9.50 A$13.61
-46.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.28
$1.50 A$2.15
-4.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 MX$40.81
$3.24 A$4.64
-31.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$26.89
$2.66 A$3.82
-44.74%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$46.24
$5.39 A$7.71
-53.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 MX$134
$13.05 A$18.69
-44.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$144
$9.81 A$14.05
-19.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.79 MX$234
$15.14 A$21.69
-15.52%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.1
$4.02 A$5.76
-27.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.26
$3.16 A$4.53
-54.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$46.59
$3.57 A$5.11
-28.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$37.64
$5.34 A$7.66
-61.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$36.60
$3.18 A$4.55
-37.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$36.69
$2.70 A$3.87
-25.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 MX$21.79
$2.55 A$3.66
-53.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$22.99
$1.34 A$1.92
-5.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 MX$80.6
$44.91 A$64.3
-90.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 MX$175
$14.04 A$20.12
-31.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.12
$4.60 A$6.58
-65.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 MX$51.4
$5.65 A$8.10
-50.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.36
$2.74 A$3.92
-79.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.82 MX$509
$79.2 A$113
-64.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 MX$91.2
$4.07 A$5.84
22.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.50 MX$64.0
$1.62 A$2.32
116.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 MX$98.8
$42.83 A$61.4
-87.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$26.80
$1.35 A$1.93
8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$383.9K
$27.0K A$38.6K
-22.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$437.3K
$29.6K A$42.4K
-19.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,540
$181 A$260
-53.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.99 MX$439
$26.36 A$37.76
-8.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.02 MX$531
$54.5 A$78.1
-46.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.0 MX$1,152
$60.2 A$86.3
4.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.14 MX$533
$18.03 A$25.83
61.62%
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$90.4
$15.65 A$22.42
-68.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,725
$2,360 A$3,381
-91.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MX$72.1K
$20.2K A$28.9K
-80.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.60 MX$798
$77.3 A$111
-43.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.12 MX$789
$55.1 A$78.9
-21.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 MX$1,386
$108 A$155
-30.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 MX$1,620
$133 A$190
-33.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 MX$18.4K
$1,353 A$1,938
-25.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 MX$6,841
$1,263 A$1,810
-70.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.3K
$2,098 A$3,006
-18.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 MX$20.2K
$1,609 A$2,305
-31.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,944 MX$72.2K
$5,134 A$7,354
-23.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,169 MX$112.8K
$5,137 A$7,359
20.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Berry
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$754 MX$13.8K
$4,399 A$6,302
-82.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.95
92.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Berry: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$374
Berry
$1.3K 238% $889
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Berry
$397 53.6% $138
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Berry
$327 61.9% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Berry
$262 91.1% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$113
Berry
$168 48.8% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$73
Berry
$92 25.6% $19
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$53
Berry
$102 94.7% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,353 in Berry. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 483% higher in Berry, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in Berry. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $397 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇺 Berry
🕒 Local time
14:11 2:11 PM
06:11 6:11 AM
16 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
2,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 18.29 MXN (100 MXN = 5.47 USD). 1 EUR = 20.42 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.698 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Berry 14,190 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Berry

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Berry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Berry compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, $2,612 in Berry – roughly 116% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Berry?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,918 in Berry. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Berry?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $89.0 in Berry. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Berry?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,210 in Playa del Carmen and $2,612 in Berry. That's a gap of about 116%.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Berry at $2,612. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berry it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Berry?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,210 in Playa del Carmen to $2,612 in Berry. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Berry safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Berry?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berry makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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