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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 in Crooked Island.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,571 in Crooked Island.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,971 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 7% below, Crooked Island is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$49.01 BSD 49.01

-76.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.01 BSD 13.01

-8.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.90 BSD 3.90

2.05%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.91 BSD 3.91

-63.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.95 BSD 1.95

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.09 BSD 5.09

-37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.06 BSD 5.06

34.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$7.86 BSD 7.86

-78.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$6.10 BSD 6.10

-63.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.45 BSD 3.45

-50.43%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$11.43 BSD 11.43

-76.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.13 BSD 13.13

-27.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.07 BSD 8.07

58.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$14.08 BSD 14.08

-79.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.28 BSD 1.28

67.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$12.17 BSD 12.17

-81.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-10.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.81 BSD 2.81

-29.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.99 BSD 0.99

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.94 BSD 1.94

-38.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$30.14 BSD 30.14

-65.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$4.93 BSD 4.93

-67.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.91 BSD 4.91

-41.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.07 BSD 2.07

80.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$221 BSD 221

-58.62%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$60.2 BSD 60.2

-58.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$68.9 BSD 68.9

-54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$81.4 BSD 81.4

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$49.63 BSD 49.63

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$249 BSD 249

-67.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$99.7 BSD 99.7

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$560 BSD 560

89.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$540 BSD 540

-27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,611 BSD 1,611

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,601 BSD 1,601

-20.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,077 BSD 1,077

-29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $560 in Crooked Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 42% 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 72% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $2,171 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 42% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $560 in Crooked Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 in Crooked Island – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 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 72% less than in Crooked Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.