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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,243 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,121 in Cancun, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Cancun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Cancun is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.37 MX$231

-12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$53.7 MX$928

-22.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.13 MX$175

5.03%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.44 MX$59.5

2.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.58 MX$27.37

-4.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.90 MX$15.58

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.04 MX$52.6

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.48 MX$77.4

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.43 MX$24.78

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.54 MX$43.94

-25.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.93 MX$33.40

-15.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.63 MX$45.41

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.32 MX$196

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.69 MX$150

-4.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.72 MX$185

0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.25 MX$56.1

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.57 MX$27.13

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.14 MX$54.3

-39.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.20 MX$38.04

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.14 MX$37.01

-16.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.31 MX$39.97

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.08 MX$18.61

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.28 MX$22.14

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.20 MX$72.6

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.25 MX$177

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.68 MX$28.99

1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.62 MX$45.24

-1.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.60 MX$10.42

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$60.6 MX$1,048

-56.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.21 MX$72.8

-22.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.48 MX$42.83

0.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.97 MX$172

-67.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.33 MX$23.01

-1.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$30.5K MX$528.1K

-0.82%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.1K MX$416.6K

-2.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$116 MX$2,000

-28.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$23.15 MX$400

-4.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$36.11 MX$625

-18.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.40 MX$439

103.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$24.07 MX$416

-23.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.06 MX$105

-16.34%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$197 MX$3,413

1.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,199 MX$89.9K

0.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$53.9 MX$932

-31.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.89 MX$690

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$82.7 MX$1,430

-5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$112 MX$1,930

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$616 MX$10.7K

57.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$459 MX$7,931

2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,267 MX$21.9K

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,012 MX$17.5K

20.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,189 MX$37.9K

80.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,287 MX$39.6K

184.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$803 MX$13.9K

-17.37%

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 Cancun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $616 in Cancun. 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 21% higher in Cancun, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Cancun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $282 – 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 Cancun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,365 in Cancun – roughly 5% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,048 in Cancun. 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $197 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,365 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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