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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,032 in Escazu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,800 in Escazu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,569 in Escazu.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 37% less than in Escazu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Escazu is 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.96 ₡4,984

8.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$59.7 ₡27.2K

-28.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.90 ₡4,504

6.97%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.90 ₡1,773

-7.18%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.06 ₡935

-28.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.66 ₡757

-43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.02 ₡1,372

2.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.65 ₡2,117

-4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.06 ₡936

-30.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.75 ₡1,250

-31.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.21 ₡1,006

-26.24%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.94 ₡1,338

-10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.86 ₡4,484

-16.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.28 ₡4,219

-10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.73 ₡6,243

-19.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.63 ₡2,106

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.49 ₡678

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.21 ₡1,916

-52.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.20 ₡1,456

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.57 ₡1,624

-49.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.24 ₡1,472

-32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.95 ₡430

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.96 ₡1,344

-64.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.83 ₡2,196

-17.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$18.74 ₡8,522

-45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.76 ₡802

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.73 ₡1,242

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.96 ₡438

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.66 ₡757

89.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.77 ₡805

35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.10 ₡3,682

-61.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.39 ₡632

-8.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.4K ₡14.3M

-1.51%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$32.5K ₡14.8M

-28.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$66.2 ₡30.1K

23.83%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.87 ₡11.8K

-13.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$50.1 ₡22.8K

-40.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$108 ₡49.0K

-51.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$10.16 ₡4,621

83.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.78 ₡4,446

-49.18%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$580 ₡263.5K

-65.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$14.3K ₡6.5M

-63.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$61.7 ₡28.1K

-41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$51.2 ₡23.3K

-21.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$126 ₡57.4K

-36.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$105 ₡47.9K

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,065 ₡484.5K

-9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,059 ₡481.6K

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,681 ₡764.3K

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,312 ₡596.4K

-7.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,625 ₡738.7K

142.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,132 ₡514.9K

469.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,759 ₡799.8K

-59.04%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Escazu: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,065 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 144% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $359 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Escazu earns 144% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,065 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,032 in Escazu – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,032 in Escazu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Escazu. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Escazu 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.