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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $811 in Fanar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,309 in Fanar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,808 in Fanar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Fanar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Fanar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Fanar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.97 LBP 892.7K

17.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

-29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.14 LBP 728.6K

29.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.76 LBP 68.1K

372.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.63 LBP 146.0K

-7.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.49 LBP 133.2K

98.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$5.07 LBP 453.5K

-13.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.99 LBP 88.5K

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.52 LBP 46.6K

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.02 LBP 91.4K

52.94%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.34 LBP 209.5K

11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.38 LBP 1.0M

-26.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.05 LBP 273.0K

173.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.97 LBP 444.5K

118.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.49 LBP 43.5K

453.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.52 LBP 46.2K

190.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.88 LBP 78.4K

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

329.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.52 LBP 46.2K

257.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

150.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.29 LBP 25.6K

268.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.38 LBP 34.4K

186.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.23 LBP 109.9K

240.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$10.08 LBP 902.0K

3.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.97 LBP 86.8K

71.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.46 LBP 130.4K

78.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.98 LBP 177.5K

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$98.2 LBP 8.8M

-73.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.04 LBP 450.8K

-38.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.26 LBP 112.9K

90.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$20.37 LBP 1.8M

-84.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.95 LBP 85.0K

37.89%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

-15.11%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.7K LBP 2.5B

-15.72%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$150 LBP 13.4M

-45.85%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$37.98 LBP 3.4M

-40.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.10 LBP 2.7M

-0.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

165.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$24.91 LBP 2.2M

-26.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

1.03%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$298 LBP 26.6M

-32.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,417 LBP 395.3M

17.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$71.0 LBP 6.4M

-49.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$44.71 LBP 4.0M

-10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$122 LBP 10.9M

-34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$95.1 LBP 8.5M

-9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fanar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Fanar. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $141 in Fanar – so Fanar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fanar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,217 in Fanar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $811 in Fanar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% less in Fanar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Fanar, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Fanar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fanar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fanar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.