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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,327 in Curepe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,321 in Curepe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,316 in Curepe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Curepe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Curepe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Curepe 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$10.37 TTD 70.4

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$88.6 TTD 602

-51.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.42 TTD 50.4

42.72%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.80 TTD 25.79

-4.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.05 TTD 7.11

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.81 TTD 5.52

16.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.87 TTD 12.71

65.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.08 TTD 20.89

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.88 TTD 12.78

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.16 TTD 14.68

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.17 TTD 14.72

-24.88%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.87 TTD 19.51

-8.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$7.88 TTD 53.5

4.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$10.20 TTD 69.2

-18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.79 TTD 80.1

-5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$3.30 TTD 22.39

-19.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.61 TTD 17.74

-42.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.18 TTD 28.40

-52.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$4.79 TTD 32.51

-56.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.49 TTD 10.14

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.67 TTD 11.31

30.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.05 TTD 7.14

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.72 TTD 4.90

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.56 TTD 30.94

-12.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$13.38 TTD 90.8

-23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.72 TTD 11.69

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.16 TTD 14.64

15.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.57 TTD 3.90

-8.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.01 TTD 6.89

210.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.21 TTD 8.24

98.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$14.95 TTD 102

-79.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.15 TTD 7.78

10.43%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$34.3K TTD 233.2K

-10.09%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$38.6K TTD 261.9K

-39.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$80.4 TTD 546

2.00%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$47.19 TTD 320

-52.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$62.9 TTD 427

-52.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$9.75 TTD 66.2

-49.03%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$333 TTD 2,263

-40.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$7,312 TTD 49.6K

-27.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$58.7 TTD 399

-38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$38.91 TTD 264

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$144 TTD 976

-44.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$128 TTD 871

-30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$746 TTD 5,066

29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$451 TTD 3,061

3.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,471 TTD 9,985

8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,099 TTD 7,464

9.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$511 TTD 3,472

40.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Curepe: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $746 in Curepe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in Curepe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $304 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Curepe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,327 in Curepe – roughly 3% apart. Curepe costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,990 in Curepe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $89.0 in Curepe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Curepe, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Curepe at $1,327. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Curepe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,327 in Curepe. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Curepe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.