Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Crooked Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Crooked Island

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,138 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,461 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,784 in Crooked Island.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Crooked Island, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Crooked Island is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$50.6 BSD 50.6

-76.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$13.10 BSD 13.10

-18.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.09 BSD 4.09

-15.65%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.96 BSD 3.96

-62.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$2.04 BSD 2.04

-53.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.05 BSD 5.05

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.13 BSD 5.13

-10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$8.11 BSD 8.11

-82.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$6.02 BSD 6.02

-69.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.53 BSD 3.53

-54.39%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$11.62 BSD 11.62

-77.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.21 BSD 13.21

-37.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.94 BSD 7.94

34.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$6.37 BSD 6.37

-58.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.28 BSD 1.28

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$11.87 BSD 11.87

-82.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-15.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.92 BSD 2.92

-22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.98 BSD 0.98

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.01 BSD 2.01

-45.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$29.91 BSD 29.91

-65.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$5.03 BSD 5.03

-65.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.97 BSD 4.97

-47.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.03 BSD 2.03

23.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$216 BSD 216

-61.62%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$60.1 BSD 60.1

-62.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$69.1 BSD 69.1

-57.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$79.5 BSD 79.5

-53.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$50.7 BSD 50.7

-21.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$247 BSD 247

-67.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$102 BSD 102

-11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$547 BSD 547

74.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$541 BSD 541

-11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,594 BSD 1,594

3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,626 BSD 1,626

-24.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,095 BSD 1,095

-39.08%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $547 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Crooked Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Crooked Island differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $2,138 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Crooked Island earns 64% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,138 in Crooked Island – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,138 in Crooked Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Crooked Island. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Crooked Island 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 68% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.