🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Brescia.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,800 in Brescia.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,790 in Brescia.
🙂Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 29% less than in Brescia, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Brescia is 36% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$202
$23.57€20.30
-50.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$719
$92.5€79.7
-54.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.41MX$179
$11.65€10.03
-10.64%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.1
$2.09€1.80
72.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46MX$25.06
$3.39€2.92
-56.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.70
$1.47€1.27
-34.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.92MX$50.3
$5.82€5.01
-49.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62MX$79.5
$6.55€5.64
-29.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.59
$1.31€1.13
9.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90MX$32.70
$2.53€2.18
-24.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$26.95
$2.60€2.24
-39.62%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.34
$4.25€3.66
-37.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.44MX$145
$15.94€13.73
-47.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.58MX$148
$12.88€11.09
-33.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.00MX$189
$21.69€18.68
-49.29%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70MX$46.51
$2.65€2.28
1.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$25.92
$2.42€2.09
-37.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.91MX$32.93
$2.73€2.35
-30.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.37
$3.11€2.68
-30.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.25
$2.16€1.86
-13.43%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.43
$1.91€1.64
16.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.60
$1.57€1.36
-31.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.47
$0.46€0.39
132.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16MX$71.6
$6.76€5.82
-38.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.29MX$177
$9.53€8.21
7.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$28.95
$1.95€1.68
-13.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$43.59
$2.48€2.13
2.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.55MX$9.53
$1.93€1.66
-71.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.29MX$452
$45.03€38.77
-41.62%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$8.85€7.62
-63.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.37
$1.00€0.86
146.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.20MX$55.0
$11.60€9.99
-72.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$22.72
$2.10€1.81
-37.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$518.8K
$32.0K€27.6K
-5.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$402.5K
$39.4K€34.0K
-40.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.4MX$1,400
$242€209
-66.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.41MX$386
$14.72€12.68
52.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.97MX$516
$32.27€27.79
-7.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$887
$44.80€38.58
15.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$316
$20.19€17.38
-8.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16MX$88.9
$11.93€10.28
-56.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$202MX$3,471
$760€654
-73.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,311MX$91.4K
$18.8K€16.2K
-71.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.61MX$613
$79.9€68.8
-55.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37MX$695
$23.95€20.63
68.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.6MX$1,353
$81.4€70.1
-3.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.9MX$1,495
$110€94.4
-20.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$950MX$16.3K
$745€641
27.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$478MX$8,227
$628€540
-23.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,621MX$27.9K
$1,155€994
40.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,223MX$21.0K
$946€815
29.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,009MX$69.0K
$3,535€3,044
13.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,473MX$111.4K
$2,299€1,979
181.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Brescia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$673MX$11.6K
$1,983€1,707
-66.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4.3
165.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026
Last update for Brescia: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $745 in Brescia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brescia pays 195% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $93.0 in Brescia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $353 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 Brescia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Brescia?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Brescia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Brescia?
On paper, Brescia earns 195% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Brescia?
Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $745 in Brescia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Brescia?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $93.0 in Brescia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Brescia?
All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Brescia – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Brescia?
At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Brescia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Brescia. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Brescia?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,294 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Brescia?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Brescia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Brescia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared