Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Figueres

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,771 in Figueres, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Figueres, Spain
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Figueres
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Figueres

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Figueres actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,771 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Figueres $1,771

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,506 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Figueres $2,506

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,241 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Figueres $3,241

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Figueres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Figueres is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$203
$18.70 €16.67
-41.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$827
$44.98 €40.09
-1.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$220
$9.42 €8.39
24.84%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.9
$2.31 €2.06
59.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$25.11
$2.22 €1.98
-39.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.44
$1.44 €1.28
-43.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$57.3
$2.76 €2.46
10.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$92.4
$3.83 €3.42
28.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.52
$1.19 €1.06
23.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.47
$1.51 €1.34
47.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.67
$2.37 €2.11
-37.55%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$46.59
$3.51 €3.13
-29.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$141
$13.47 €12.00
-44.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$149
$8.24 €7.34
-3.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$235
$15.73 €14.02
-20.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.0
$2.49 €2.22
11.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.71
$1.61 €1.43
-11.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.99
$2.07 €1.85
26.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.99
$2.59 €2.31
-17.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.86
$1.84 €1.64
9.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$37.21
$2.04 €1.82
-2.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.28
$1.38 €1.23
-17.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.46
$0.73 €0.65
64.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$79.7
$6.20 €5.52
-31.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$187
$5.47 €4.87
83.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.77
$1.18 €1.05
30.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.80
$2.17 €1.93
22.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.85
$1.58 €1.41
-66.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$515
$36.75 €32.75
-25.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$91.8
$3.51 €3.13
39.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$64.3
$1.33 €1.18
157.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$101
$25.43 €22.66
-78.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$27.10
$1.74 €1.55
-16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$396.0K
$34.6K €30.8K
-38.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$430.8K
$28.1K €25.1K
-18.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,598
$160 €143
-46.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$439
$18.11 €16.14
29.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$532
$50.2 €44.76
-43.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,164
$45.34 €40.41
37.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$537
$16.93 €15.09
69.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$95.5
$8.92 €7.95
-42.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,763
$478 €426
-57.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$73.9K
$7,211 €6,427
-45.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$831
$86.4 €77.0
-48.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$774
$36.10 €32.18
14.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,362
$89.1 €79.4
-18.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,677
$128 €114
-29.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.3K
$903 €805
8.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,976
$764 €681
-51.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.5K
$1,321 €1,177
27.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.5K
$1,043 €929
5.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.9K
$3,054 €2,722
29.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$114.9K
$2,163 €1,928
183.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Figueres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.8K
$1,500 €1,337
-50.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.3
246.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Figueres: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Figueres
$764 105% $391
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Figueres
$268 3.6% $9.3
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Figueres
$242 20.7% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Figueres
$228 66.4% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Figueres
$153 36.8% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Figueres
$63 12.7% $9.2
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Figueres
$53 3% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $903 in Figueres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Figueres are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $45 in Figueres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $268 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇸 Figueres
🕒 Local time
03:36 3:36 AM
09:36 9:36 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
47,879
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 18.72 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 21 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Figueres 8,490 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Figueres

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Figueres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Figueres?
Yes – Figueres is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,656 in Figueres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Figueres?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $979 in Playa del Carmen and $903 in Figueres. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Figueres?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,771 in Figueres. That’s a gap of about 47%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $478 in Figueres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Figueres?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Figueres at $1,771. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Figueres it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Figueres?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,771 in Figueres. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Figueres makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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