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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 in Coronado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,139 in Coronado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,941 in Coronado.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 6% less than in Coronado, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Coronado is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.98 PAB 11.98

0.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.63 PAB 35.63

17.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.98 PAB 8.98

19.71%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.88 PAB 2.88

21.53%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.04 PAB 1.04

39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.83 PAB 0.83

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.51 PAB 1.51

95.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.97 PAB 2.97

51.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.85 PAB 1.85

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.52 PAB 1.52

21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.91 PAB 2.91

-46.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 PAB 2.21

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.82 PAB 14.82

-44.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.55 PAB 6.55

28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.43 PAB 9.43

13.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.63 PAB 2.63

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.02 PAB 1.02

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.94 PAB 2.94

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.98 PAB 2.98

-29.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.10 PAB 2.10

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.94 PAB 1.94

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.10 PAB 2.10

-50.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.86 PAB 5.86

-30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.93 PAB 9.93

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.78 PAB 0.78

115.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.85 PAB 0.85

197.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.97 PAB 0.97

-47.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.49 PAB 1.49

116.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.51 PAB 1.51

59.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.20 PAB 10.20

-68.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.91 PAB 0.91

45.05%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.9K PAB 33.9K

-30.15%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$111 PAB 111

-26.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$21.36 PAB 21.36

7.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$59.4 PAB 59.4

-49.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.36 PAB 3.36

48.21%

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,385 PAB 6,385

-16.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$44.80 PAB 44.80

-20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.26 PAB 30.26

33.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$100 PAB 100

-21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$130 PAB 130

-31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$773 PAB 773

22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$566 PAB 566

-16.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,253 PAB 1,253

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,258 PAB 1,258

-3.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,992 PAB 1,992

224.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$604 PAB 604

8.28%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Coronado: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $773 in Coronado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% 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 $36.00 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 6% 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.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $773 in Coronado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 in Coronado – a 6% 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,336 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 $1,256 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 6% less than in Coronado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.