Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,052 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,572 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,092 in East London, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than East London, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and East London are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, East London 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.79 R 110

74.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$30.73 R 497

39.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.45 R 71.9

139.33%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.02 R 32.73

70.79%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.99 R 16.00

51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.82 R 13.23

15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.56 R 41.32

18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.13 R 50.6

47.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.06 R 17.13

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.90 R 14.55

105.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.03 R 32.85

-20.69%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.06 R 33.29

25.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.36 R 151

-11.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.15 R 67.0

101.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.42 R 120

43.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.52 R 24.50

73.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.13 R 34.47

-30.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.43 R 23.19

34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.46 R 23.66

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.57 R 25.32

18.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.47 R 23.78

53.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.05 R 16.97

0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.92 R 14.88

18.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.62 R 42.36

58.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.92 R 79.6

111.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.71 R 27.71

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.53 R 40.93

3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.73 R 11.82

-26.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$21.78 R 352

23.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.13 R 18.29

176.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.96 R 15.50

161.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.14 R 66.9

-23.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.21 R 19.62

4.96%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.0K R 598.3K

-17.93%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.2K R 359.6K

5.95%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$196 R 3,172

-57.70%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$30.20 R 488

-24.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$44.54 R 720

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.44 R 541

52.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$1.43 R 23.05

1181.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.60 R 58.2

36.94%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$121 R 1,948

63.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,276 R 69.1K

23.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$51.9 R 838

-28.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$28.73 R 464

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$107 R 1,724

-24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$85.4 R 1,380

4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$268 R 4,337

256.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$300 R 4,845

59.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$505 R 8,161

226.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$551 R 8,912

122.17%

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

$1,645 R 26.6K

-59.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 East London: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in East London. 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 147% higher in East London, 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 $31.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $187 – making East London 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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,052 in East London – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,578 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $121 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,052, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,052 in East London to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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