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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,347 in Coronado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,168 in Coronado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,989 in Coronado.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 4% less than in Coronado, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Coronado is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.86 PAB 11.86

-1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.29 PAB 35.29

17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.52 PAB 9.52

11.76%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.04 PAB 3.04

15.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.08 PAB 1.08

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.86 PAB 0.86

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.51 PAB 1.51

95.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.96 PAB 2.96

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.86 PAB 1.86

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.55 PAB 1.55

21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.09 PAB 3.09

-46.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.24 PAB 2.24

12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.68 PAB 14.68

-43.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.31 PAB 6.31

32.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.31 PAB 9.31

15.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.72 PAB 2.72

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.95 PAB 0.95

53.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.07 PAB 3.07

-38.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.94 PAB 2.94

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.08 PAB 2.08

-14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.93 PAB 1.93

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.11 PAB 2.11

-50.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.13 PAB 6.13

-33.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.17 PAB 10.17

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.84 PAB 0.84

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$0.88 PAB 0.88

193.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.03 PAB 1.03

-50.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.54 PAB 1.54

111.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.49 PAB 1.49

67.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.18 PAB 10.18

-68.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.92 PAB 0.92

42.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$34.4K PAB 34.4K

-31.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$109 PAB 109

-24.21%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$21.60 PAB 21.60

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$59.0 PAB 59.0

-50.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.34 PAB 3.34

51.80%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,576 PAB 6,576

-20.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.60 PAB 44.60

-17.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.51 PAB 29.51

34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$98.2 PAB 98.2

-20.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$133 PAB 133

-34.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$753 PAB 753

29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$570 PAB 570

-17.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,236 PAB 1,236

32.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,309 PAB 1,309

-6.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,029 PAB 2,029

220.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$595 PAB 595

11.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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 Coronado: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $753 in Coronado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 12% 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 $35.00 in Coronado. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $250, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Coronado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Coronado. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 12% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $753 in Coronado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,347 in Coronado – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Coronado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,347 in Coronado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Coronado. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Coronado 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.