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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,908 in Fajardo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,155 in Fajardo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,401 in Fajardo.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 33% less than in Fajardo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Fajardo is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.12 $10.12

17.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$81.7 $81.7

-47.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.37 $9.37

13.02%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.54 $3.54

2.26%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.76 $1.76

-16.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.43 $1.43

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.05 $3.05

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.53 $4.53

-1.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.41 $2.41

-40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.05 $3.05

-38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.20 $2.20

-25.91%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$5.92 $5.92

-55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.98 $4.98

64.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.28 $8.28

0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$12.97 $12.97

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.87 $5.87

-54.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.67 $2.67

-43.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.00 $4.00

-50.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.97 $3.97

-47.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$4.09 $4.09

-56.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.92 $2.92

-25.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$3.08 $3.08

-64.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.99 $1.99

-47.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.60 $11.60

-65.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.10 $10.10

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.47 $2.47

-29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.22 $3.22

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.54 $1.54

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$14.79 $14.79

-79.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.91 $0.91

39.56%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-14.13%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-13.01%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$350 $350

-76.60%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$78.4 $78.4

-71.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$69.2 $69.2

-57.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$98.4 $98.4

-47.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.98 $11.98

-58.51%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$467 $467

-57.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$10.5K $10.5K

-49.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.47 $46.47

-21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$56.3 $56.3

-28.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$92.4 $92.4

-13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$105 $105

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$736 $736

30.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$605 $605

-23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,612 $1,612

-0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,594 $1,594

-24.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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 Fajardo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $736 in Fajardo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Fajardo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $357 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 Fajardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Fajardo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $2,862 in Fajardo 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $736 in Fajardo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Fajardo. 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 $1,908 in Fajardo – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,908 in Fajardo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fajardo. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Fajardo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.