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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,154 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,489 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,823 in Crooked Island.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 42% 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 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$50.3 BSD 50.3

-76.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.12 BSD 13.12

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.02 BSD 4.02

-10.70%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$4.11 BSD 4.11

-63.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.04 BSD 2.04

-54.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.11 BSD 5.11

-42.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$5.08 BSD 5.08

-13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$7.92 BSD 7.92

-82.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$5.92 BSD 5.92

-68.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.42 BSD 3.42

-54.39%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$11.52 BSD 11.52

-77.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.24 BSD 13.24

-37.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.14 BSD 8.14

33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$6.48 BSD 6.48

-58.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.27 BSD 1.27

47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$12.24 BSD 12.24

-82.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.24 BSD 2.24

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.94 BSD 2.94

-24.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.99 BSD 0.99

8.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.95 BSD 1.95

-44.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$30.15 BSD 30.15

-65.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$4.89 BSD 4.89

-66.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$5.14 BSD 5.14

-49.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.02 BSD 2.02

18.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$220 BSD 220

-62.98%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$59.9 BSD 59.9

-62.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$70.6 BSD 70.6

-57.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$81.1 BSD 81.1

-55.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$50.8 BSD 50.8

-20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$250 BSD 250

-68.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$99.4 BSD 99.4

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$548 BSD 548

78.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$557 BSD 557

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,623 BSD 1,623

1.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,626 BSD 1,626

-25.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,109 BSD 1,109

-38.96%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $548 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 71% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $2,154 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Crooked Island. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $548 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 97% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,154 in Crooked Island – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,154 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 71% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.