Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Etten-Leur Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Etten-Leur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,564 in Etten-Leur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,821 in Etten-Leur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,078 in Etten-Leur.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Etten-Leur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Etten-Leur is 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 MX$198
$23.57 €20.26
-50.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 MX$788
$99.9 €85.9
-53.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.65 MX$197
$14.17 €12.18
-17.78%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$69.2
$3.91 €3.36
4.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$23.23
$3.60 €3.09
-61.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$14.09
$2.98 €2.57
-72.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 MX$56.7
$6.31 €5.42
-46.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 MX$117
$5.56 €4.78
24.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 MX$29.20
$1.44 €1.24
20.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 MX$38.21
$2.14 €1.84
5.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$29.91
$2.62 €2.25
-32.44%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$46.19
$5.01 €4.31
-45.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.18 MX$155
$15.24 €13.10
-39.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 MX$151
$15.03 €12.92
-40.65%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.60 MX$213
$18.43 €15.84
-31.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$51.1
$2.90 €2.49
4.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.55
$2.51 €2.15
-37.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 MX$35.93
$1.90 €1.63
12.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.28
$5.94 €5.11
-61.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$33.88
$2.02 €1.74
-0.99%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$34.90
$2.22 €1.91
-7.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 MX$19.94
$1.37 €1.18
-13.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.35
$0.77 €0.66
55.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63 MX$78.4
$14.72 €12.66
-68.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.69 MX$181
$7.42 €6.38
44.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.38
$1.50 €1.29
8.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$48.70
$2.76 €2.37
4.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$9.69
$3.50 €3.01
-83.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.83 MX$504
$93.7 €80.5
-68.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$92.1
$3.40 €2.93
60.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.70 MX$62.6
$1.73 €1.49
113.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 MX$101
$22.91 €19.70
-73.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$26.26
$2.47 €2.12
-37.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K MX$377.4K
$42.8K €36.8K
-47.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K MX$438.7K
$39.4K €33.9K
-34.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 MX$1,507
$194 €167
-54.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04 MX$423
$28.05 €24.11
-10.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50 MX$532
$49.87 €42.87
-36.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.8 MX$1,146
$20.19 €17.36
235.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92 MX$489
$26.82 €23.06
7.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05 MX$85.4
$15.79 €13.58
-68.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 MX$3,803
$709 €610
-68.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,222 MX$71.4K
$5,584 €4,800
-24.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44 MX$802
$87.1 €74.9
-45.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98 MX$760
$51.1 €43.96
-12.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 MX$1,386
$94.3 €81.1
-13.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 MX$1,557
$148 €127
-37.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 MX$18.1K
$1,461 €1,256
-26.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$405 MX$6,852
$1,308 €1,124
-69.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,935 MX$32.7K
$2,463 €2,117
-21.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 MX$22.0K
$1,943 €1,670
-33.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,995 MX$67.5K
$4,268 €3,669
-6.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,626 MX$112.0K
$4,527 €3,892
46.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Etten-Leur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$749 MX$12.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.89
194.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Etten-Leur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,461 in Etten-Leur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $100 in Etten-Leur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $362 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 Etten-Leur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Etten-Leur cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,940 in Playa del Carmen and $3,846 in Etten-Leur 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Etten-Leur?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,461 in Etten-Leur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Etten-Leur?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $100 in Etten-Leur. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Etten-Leur?
All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,564 in Etten-Leur – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Etten-Leur?
At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,564 in Etten-Leur, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Etten-Leur. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Etten-Leur more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Etten-Leur, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Etten-Leur?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Etten-Leur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Etten-Leur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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