Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Collie

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,643 in Collie, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Collie, Australia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Collie
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,643
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Collie

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Collie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,643 in Collie, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Collie $2,643

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,790 in Collie, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Collie $3,790

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,937 in Collie, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Collie $4,937

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Collie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Collie is 94% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$20.87 A$29.80
-47.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$805
$85.7 A$122
-49.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$11.01 A$15.72
6.99%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$70.7
$4.39 A$6.27
-13.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.81
$2.86 A$4.08
-55.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.54
$2.26 A$3.23
-65.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$58.8
$8.52 A$12.17
-62.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.7
$8.50 A$12.14
-42.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.12
$1.69 A$2.41
-16.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.17
$3.21 A$4.59
-30.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.32
$2.05 A$2.93
-30.73%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$46.85
$5.32 A$7.59
-52.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$9.03 A$12.89
-19.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$9.51 A$13.57
-19.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$14.21 A$20.29
-10.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.7
$4.46 A$6.37
-37.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.41
$3.11 A$4.45
-55.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.37
$3.46 A$4.94
-26.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.43
$4.90 A$7.00
-56.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.00
$2.88 A$4.11
-32.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.02
$1.91 A$2.72
-1.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.29
$2.21 A$3.15
-47.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
$1.41 A$2.01
-16.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.8
$42.49 A$60.7
-89.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$12.51 A$17.87
-20.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.41
$4.41 A$6.30
-64.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.60
$3.37 A$4.82
-20.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.28
$2.98 A$4.26
-81.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$494
$90.8 A$130
-70.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.3
$3.66 A$5.23
35.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$61.9
$1.45 A$2.08
129.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.5
$40.54 A$57.9
-86.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.82
$1.40 A$2.00
2.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$383.8K
$30.5K A$43.6K
-32.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.8K
$27.3K A$39.0K
-14.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,575
$203 A$290
-58.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$435
$32.55 A$46.49
-28.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$532
$64.3 A$91.8
-55.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,059
$64.4 A$92.0
-11.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$537
$17.30 A$24.71
67.11%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.4
$17.19 A$24.55
-70.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,836
$2,281 A$3,257
-90.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$72.9K
$23.2K A$33.1K
-83.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$805
$76.4 A$109
-43.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$770
$63.3 A$90.4
-34.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,378
$125 A$179
-40.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,657
$163 A$233
-45.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$1,417 A$2,023
-30.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,072
$1,238 A$1,769
-69.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.7K
$2,230 A$3,184
-23.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,791 A$2,557
-39.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.2K
$5,214 A$7,447
-24.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.4K
$4,540 A$6,484
35.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Collie
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.96
92.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Collie: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Collie
$1.2K 225% $858
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Collie
$367 44% $112
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Collie
$333 64.4% $130
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Collie
$300 119% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Collie
$193 72.4% $81
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Collie
$99 46.7% $31
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Collie
$114 125% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,417 in Collie. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $86 in Collie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $367 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇺 Collie
🕒 Local time
04:04 4:04 AM
17:04 5:04 PM
13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
7,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Collie 17,320 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Collie

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Collie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Collie compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $2,643 in Collie – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 54% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Collie?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,965 in Collie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Collie?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,417 in Collie.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Collie?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,281 in Collie. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Collie, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Collie at $2,643. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Collie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Playa del Carmen or Collie?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Collie?
For expats, Playa del Carmen is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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