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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,939 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,155 in Brades.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 79% more expensive than Brades, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Brades 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$18.19 EC$49.12

-35.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$47.80 EC$129

-12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.54 EC$20.36

41.11%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.45 EC$17.42

-45.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.50 EC$6.75

-39.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.38 EC$3.73

-29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.56 EC$6.92

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.52 EC$12.19

-1.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.37 EC$9.10

-59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.91 EC$7.85

-35.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.30 EC$19.71

-65.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.96 EC$16.10

39.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.22 EC$24.88

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$23.85 EC$64.4

-55.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.22 EC$8.69

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.55 EC$12.29

-54.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.28 EC$6.15

-3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$5.30 EC$14.31

-80.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$22.59 EC$61.0

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.33 EC$11.68

-40.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.87 EC$5.05

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$22.3K EC$60.1K

35.93%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$16.6K EC$44.9K

41.02%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$40.93 EC$111

-45.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$54.7 EC$148

-5.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,270 EC$3,428

29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,289 EC$3,480

-5.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,307 EC$3,528

-49.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Brades: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 97% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Brades for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $346 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 79% 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, Brades earns 97% less. 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Brades – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $723 in Brades versus $1,297 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 $723 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 79% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.