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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,293 in Curepe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,326 in Curepe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,359 in Curepe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Curepe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Curepe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Curepe 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$10.49 TTD 70.7

11.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$87.3 TTD 589

-52.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$7.58 TTD 51.1

38.65%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.68 TTD 24.85

-2.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.05 TTD 7.08

43.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.82 TTD 5.52

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.89 TTD 12.77

56.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.15 TTD 21.26

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.94 TTD 13.11

-27.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.16 TTD 14.58

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$2.20 TTD 14.82

-29.09%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.98 TTD 20.11

-12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.70 TTD 51.9

8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$10.53 TTD 71.0

-20.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.79 TTD 79.6

-7.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.18 TTD 21.42

-14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.52 TTD 17.02

-40.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$4.36 TTD 29.42

-57.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.72 TTD 31.84

-53.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.50 TTD 10.11

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.67 TTD 11.27

33.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.04 TTD 7.04

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.76 TTD 5.12

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.33 TTD 29.19

-3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$19.04 TTD 128

-45.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.81 TTD 12.24

-8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.19 TTD 14.80

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.58 TTD 3.89

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.05 TTD 7.07

193.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.22 TTD 8.22

96.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$14.54 TTD 98.1

-78.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.10 TTD 7.40

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$34.6K TTD 233.5K

-13.90%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$38.6K TTD 260.3K

-39.55%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$80.7 TTD 545

0.69%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$47.22 TTD 319

-52.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$60.9 TTD 411

-50.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$10.18 TTD 68.7

-51.67%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$334 TTD 2,253

-39.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$7,108 TTD 48.0K

-27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$58.2 TTD 393

-38.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$38.79 TTD 262

3.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$146 TTD 982

-45.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$128 TTD 865

-32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$754 TTD 5,084

29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$451 TTD 3,042

4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$1,454 TTD 9,807

13.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$1,121 TTD 7,560

7.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$512 TTD 3,454

32.16%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Curepe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $754 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 32% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 in Curepe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $318 – 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,293 in Curepe – roughly 3% apart. Curepe costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,940 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $87.0 in Curepe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $1,260, than in Curepe at $1,293. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,293 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.