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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $754 in Ellerton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,121 in Ellerton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,488 in Ellerton.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 72% more expensive than Ellerton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ellerton 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$7.58 BBD 15.17

54.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.93 BBD 9.86

111.16%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.01 BBD 2.02

257.43%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.80 BBD 3.59

-18.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.27 BBD 2.53

-23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.79 BBD 3.58

63.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.20 BBD 4.40

110.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.05 BBD 4.10

-30.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.80 BBD 3.60

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.82 BBD 3.64

-69.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$20.11 BBD 40.22

30.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$24.58 BBD 49.16

-86.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

-40.26%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$44.5K BBD 89.0K

-47.42%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$98.7 BBD 197

-17.54%

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$80.5 BBD 161

-62.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$10.10 BBD 20.19

-48.91%

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.3 BBD 119

-39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$35.15 BBD 70.3

14.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$70.9 BBD 142

10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$83.5 BBD 167

4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$303 BBD 606

213.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$250 BBD 501

90.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$741 BBD 1,482

118.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$598 BBD 1,196

104.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ellerton: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 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 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $1,130 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: $950 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 559% 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in Ellerton versus $1,294 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 72% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.