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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $761 in Ellerton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,127 in Ellerton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,493 in Ellerton.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 69% more expensive than Ellerton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ellerton 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.43 BBD 14.87

60.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.03 BBD 10.06

110.54%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.02 BBD 2.04

254.90%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.71 BBD 3.42

-14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.27 BBD 2.54

-25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.73 BBD 3.45

78.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.29 BBD 4.58

94.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.95 BBD 3.90

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.87 BBD 3.73

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.82 BBD 3.64

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$20.18 BBD 40.36

33.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$24.62 BBD 49.25

-87.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$49.2K BBD 98.4K

-37.22%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$44.2K BBD 88.3K

-47.22%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$99.2 BBD 198

-17.32%

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$80.8 BBD 162

-63.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.05 BBD 20.11

-50.55%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.0 BBD 118

-38.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.77 BBD 69.5

15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$69.5 BBD 139

15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$85.4 BBD 171

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$303 BBD 607

217.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$255 BBD 510

82.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$741 BBD 1,483

115.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$603 BBD 1,205

100.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Ellerton: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $303 in Ellerton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Ellerton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ellerton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,141 in Ellerton 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $303 in Ellerton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 557% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

A monthly transit pass in Ellerton runs roughly 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $761 in Ellerton versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ellerton but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ellerton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ellerton 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ellerton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ellerton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.