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

😐 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 1.9% more expensive than Escazu without rent, and 38.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 38.8% cheaper than Escazu without rent, and 16.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$227
$11.05 ₡5,534
8.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.47 MX$803
$59.4 ₡29.7K
-28.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 MX$198
$9.88 ₡4,945
5.97%
Cappuccino
$3.6 MX$68.2
$3.87 ₡1,937
-6.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 MX$27.16
$1.97 ₡987
-26.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 MX$16.79
$1.64 ₡822
-45.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$58.5
$3.02 ₡1,511
2.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 MX$86.6
$4.75 ₡2,376
-3.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$26.04
$1.99 ₡999
-30.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$34.9
$2.81 ₡1,408
-34.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$29.68
$2.13 ₡1,067
-26.29%
Eggs
$2.55 MX$48.3
$2.98 ₡1,492
-14.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$163
$9.81 ₡4,909
-12.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.54 MX$161
$9.26 ₡4,636
-7.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.98 MX$208
$13.9 ₡6,960
-21.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 MX$51.4
$4.44 ₡2,221
-38.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$28.57
$1.45 ₡725
4.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 MX$35.63
$4.18 ₡2,093
-55.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.42
$3.2 ₡1,604
-31.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 MX$35.3
$3.46 ₡1,731
-45.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$41.37
$3.13 ₡1,565
-30.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$20.23
$0.94 ₡471
13.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$20.64
$2.8 ₡1,401
-61.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 MX$74.9
$5.12 ₡2,562
-22.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.86 MX$167
$17.22 ₡8,621
-48.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$32.53
$1.75 ₡876
-1.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$49.37
$2.66 ₡1,333
-1.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.74
$0.89 ₡445
-41.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.59 MX$503
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$61.2
$1.69 ₡848
91.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.38 MX$44.94
$1.84 ₡923
29.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$58.7
$7.71 ₡3,858
-59.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$24.85
$1.39 ₡696
-5.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$573K
$30.8K ₡15.4M
-1.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24K MX$453.6K
$32.5K ₡16.3M
-26.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,592
$66.3 ₡33.2K
27.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.14 MX$419
$25.76 ₡12.9K
-14.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.14 MX$570
$51.2 ₡25.6K
-41.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52 MX$983
$106 ₡53.1K
-50.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.72 MX$354
$10.05 ₡5,033
86.27%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$95.9
$10.1 ₡5,055
-49.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,787
$575 ₡288K
-65.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,333 MX$100.8K
$13.9K ₡7M
-61.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.74 MX$676
$63.3 ₡31.7K
-43.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.8 MX$753
$51.5 ₡25.8K
-22.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79 MX$1,493
$124 ₡61.8K
-36.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,671
$106 ₡52.9K
-16.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 MX$18.3K
$1,058 ₡529.8K
-8.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,968
$1,086 ₡543.5K
-56.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 MX$31.2K
$1,639 ₡820.4K
0.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,202 MX$22.7K
$1,286 ₡643.9K
-6.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,081 MX$58.3K
$1,579 ₡790.2K
95.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,529 MX$142.3K
$1,127 ₡564.2K
568.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Escazu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$792 MX$15K
$1,574 ₡787.9K
-49.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
10.17
12.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

Last update for Escazu: October 28, 2025

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