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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,300 in Brisbane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,347 in Brisbane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,395 in Brisbane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper than Brisbane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Brisbane is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$16.30 A$22.82

-28.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$725

$72.0 A$101

-41.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$9.53 A$13.34

9.13%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.69 A$5.17

-2.17%

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

$1.47 MX$25.44

$2.74 A$3.83

-46.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.79

$2.13 A$2.98

-57.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$6.68 A$9.35

-54.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.87 A$11.02

-43.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.82

$1.60 A$2.23

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.91

$2.31 A$3.23

-20.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.80

$1.83 A$2.56

-12.02%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.49

$4.50 A$6.31

-42.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.42 A$11.79

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.22 A$11.51

3.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$13.47 A$18.85

-18.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.23

$3.39 A$4.74

-19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.90

$2.89 A$4.05

-48.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.91

$2.61 A$3.65

-24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.68

$4.23 A$5.93

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.28

$2.51 A$3.51

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.65

$2.28 A$3.20

-4.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.22 A$3.11

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.17

$1.30 A$1.82

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$32.02 A$44.83

-86.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$14.31 A$20.04

-28.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.85

$4.71 A$6.60

-64.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.11 A$5.75

-39.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.34 A$0.48

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$27.34 A$38.28

-3.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$2.32 A$3.25

33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.64

$1.59 A$2.23

54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$34.04 A$47.65

-90.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.82

$1.23 A$1.73

2.44%

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

$30.2K MX$522.5K

$28.4K A$39.7K

6.32%

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

$23.4K MX$406.1K

$22.6K A$31.6K

3.92%

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

$84.0 MX$1,455

$147 A$206

-42.92%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$25.93 A$36.30

-14.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$54.2 A$75.9

-45.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$49.36 A$69.1

6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$17.40 A$24.36

5.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$13.21 A$18.49

-62.53%

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

$198 MX$3,436

$1,595 A$2,233

-87.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$8,929 A$12.5K

-40.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$71.7 A$100

-49.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$42.94 A$60.1

-6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$92.5 A$129

-14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$102 A$143

-15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,636 A$2,291

-40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,153

$1,242 A$1,739

-62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,631 A$3,683

-39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.0K

$1,931 A$2,704

-37.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.8K

$8,175 A$11.4K

-50.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$113.9K

$5,407 A$7,570

21.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$4,271 A$5,980

-83.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.24

83.01%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Brisbane: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,636 in Brisbane. 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 498% higher in Brisbane, 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $72 in Brisbane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $334 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brisbane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brisbane costs about 82% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,450 in Brisbane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Brisbane, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $72.0 in Brisbane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Brisbane at $2,300. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brisbane it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,261 versus $2,300 in Brisbane. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brisbane makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.