Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and El Congo

For one person, living is cheaper in El Congo: $575 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

El Congo

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$575

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in El Congo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in El Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $575 in El Congo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
El Congo $575

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $598 in El Congo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
El Congo $598

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in El Congo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
El Congo $621

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than El Congo.

Both Playa del Carmen and El Congo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, El Congo 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$808

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$219

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.0

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

$1.28 MX$23.89

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$91.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.20

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.40

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.00

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$236

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.49

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.52

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.55

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.11

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.13

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.36

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.0

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.76

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.1

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.90

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

$20.7K MX$385.0K

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

$23.5K MX$437.2K

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

$84.8 MX$1,580

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

$23.41 MX$436

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$534

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.7

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

$207 MX$3,848

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$772

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,382

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,663

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.2K

$716 $716

36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,095

$575 $575

-33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.8K

$940 $940

81.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

$621 $621

73.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

$4,374 $4,374

-9.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.7K

$1,292 $1,292

376.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$962 $962

-23.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.72

100.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for El Congo: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

El Congo

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

El Congo

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

El Congo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

El Congo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

El Congo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

El Congo

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

El Congo

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $716 in El Congo. 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 31% higher in El Congo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇸🇻 El Congo

🕒 Local time

05:04 5:04 AM

04:04 4:04 AM

1 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

8,905

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen El Congo 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
El Congo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 El Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 110% more than El Congo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $862 in El Congo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Congo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in El Congo, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In El Congo 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 $575 in El Congo to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.