Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and El Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and El Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $567 in El Progreso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $893 in El Progreso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,219 in El Progreso.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 124% more expensive than El Progreso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, El Progreso 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$5.72 HNL 153

107.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$24.78 HNL 661

73.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$7.88 HNL 210

35.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$1.47 HNL 39.24

134.69%

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

$1.50 MX$26.27

$1.01 HNL 26.89

48.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.57

$1.03 HNL 27.38

-7.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.9

$1.16 HNL 31.05

161.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.5

$1.99 HNL 53.0

131.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$1.29 HNL 34.35

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.27

$2.08 HNL 55.5

-11.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.14

$1.22 HNL 32.63

31.97%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.30

$2.04 HNL 54.4

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$4.45 HNL 119

85.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.89 HNL 104

115.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.84 HNL 209

35.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.93

$2.97 HNL 79.3

-11.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.99

$1.44 HNL 38.34

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.53

$1.45 HNL 38.66

32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.44

$1.52 HNL 40.51

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.44

$1.60 HNL 42.66

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.50

$1.35 HNL 35.88

67.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.56

$0.89 HNL 23.69

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$19.00

$1.67 HNL 44.45

-34.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$2.47 HNL 65.9

68.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.12

$1.33 HNL 35.58

29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.64

$1.80 HNL 48.01

45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$471

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$4.35 HNL 116

-28.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.27

$1.08 HNL 28.79

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$530.6K

$19.5K HNL 520.2K

55.62%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$19.4K HNL 518.0K

21.27%

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

$83.0 MX$1,450

$80.7 HNL 2,150

2.88%

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

$22.71 MX$397

$9.07 HNL 242

150.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$515

$41.37 HNL 1,103

-28.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$891

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$5.73 HNL 153

-13.96%

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

$197 MX$3,447

$245 HNL 6,538

-19.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$645

$45.56 HNL 1,214

-19.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$697

$35.67 HNL 951

11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,398

$111 HNL 2,952

-27.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,563

$103 HNL 2,750

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,334

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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 El Progreso: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in El Progreso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $181 per month, with El Progreso cheaper across the board.

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 Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Progreso is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $850 in El Progreso to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $567 in El Progreso – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $567 in El Progreso versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in El Progreso but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes El Progreso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, El Progreso is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find El Progreso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.