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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $751 in Ellerton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,117 in Ellerton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,484 in Ellerton.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 68% more expensive than in Ellerton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ellerton 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.62 BBD 15.25

53.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.14 BBD 10.28

104.47%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.99 BBD 1.97

262.63%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.72 BBD 3.44

-12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.26 BBD 2.53

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.74 BBD 3.47

70.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.26 BBD 4.52

95.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.97 BBD 3.94

-28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.83 BBD 3.66

2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.91 BBD 3.81

-71.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.87 BBD 39.74

31.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$25.39 BBD 50.8

-87.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$50.7K BBD 101.4K

-41.19%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$45.6K BBD 91.2K

-48.85%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$98.3 BBD 197

-17.29%

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$79.3 BBD 159

-62.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.82 BBD 19.64

-49.90%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.3 BBD 121

-40.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$34.72 BBD 69.4

15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$69.0 BBD 138

15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$84.3 BBD 169

2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$300 BBD 601

225.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$252 BBD 504

86.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$745 BBD 1,490

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$598 BBD 1,197

101.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ellerton: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $300 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,126 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $300 in Ellerton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 561% 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $751 in Ellerton versus $1,260 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 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.