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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $919 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,178 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,437 in Brades.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 42% more expensive than in Brades, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Brades 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.86 EC$50.9

-36.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$48.50 EC$131

-2.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$11.82 EC$31.92

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$7.05 EC$19.03

-41.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.89 EC$7.79

-51.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.57 EC$4.24

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.99 EC$8.07

7.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.52 EC$12.20

56.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$3.50 EC$9.45

-52.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.94 EC$7.95

-26.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.44 EC$20.09

-62.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.83 EC$15.74

57.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$9.33 EC$25.20

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$22.92 EC$61.9

-44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.33 EC$8.99

-11.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.48 EC$12.09

-47.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.16 EC$5.83

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$5.09 EC$13.74

-75.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$22.33 EC$60.3

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.56 EC$12.32

-39.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.86 EC$5.03

-67.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$4.56 EC$12.31

-19.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.86 EC$5.03

210.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.4K EC$60.4K

1.84%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$14.9K EC$40.2K

73.20%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$94.2 EC$254

-3.76%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$40.71 EC$110

-38.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$47.66 EC$129

-33.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$56.1 EC$152

22.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,277 EC$3,449

54.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,301 EC$3,512

-1.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,276 EC$3,446

-39.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brades: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 65% 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 $48.00 in Brades for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $345 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 Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Brades. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $919 in Brades – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $919 in Brades versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Brades the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $919 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Brades 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 Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.