Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Flacq

For one person, living is cheaper in Flacq: $495 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Flacq, Mauritius
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Flacq
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$495
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Flacq actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 in Flacq.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Flacq $495

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,115 in Flacq.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Flacq $1,115

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,735 in Flacq.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Flacq $1,735

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 143% more expensive than in Flacq, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Flacq 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$6.00 MUR 283
82.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$5.95 MUR 280
97.98%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$1.72 MUR 81.2
121.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$0.71 MUR 33.34
80.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$0.56 MUR 26.45
39.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$1.32 MUR 62.3
140.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$2.10 MUR 99.1
-32.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$2.68 MUR 126
-5.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$12.38 MUR 583
-41.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$1.98 MUR 93.2
288.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$14.07 MUR 663
-9.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.10 MUR 98.9
32.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$2.16 MUR 102
-36.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$2.10 MUR 98.9
21.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$2.48 MUR 117
-14.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$1.04 MUR 49.22
86.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$1.04 MUR 48.78
81.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$0.51 MUR 23.91
125.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.51 MUR 24.21
131.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.43 MUR 67.6
10.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$1.61 MUR 75.8
65.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.89 MUR 41.81
-38.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$31.95 MUR 1,505
-16.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
$1.04 MUR 48.81
377.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.38 MUR 65.2
4.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$10.42 MUR 491
124.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$20.70 MUR 975
175.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$5.85 MUR 276
-12.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$107 MUR 5,041
-59.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$74.5 MUR 3,510
-0.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$104 MUR 4,905
-14.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$627 MUR 29.5K
71.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Flacq
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$1,125 MUR 53.0K
-34.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.65
146.24%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Flacq: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Flacq
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Flacq
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Flacq
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Flacq
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Flacq
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Flacq
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Flacq
–

Cost Breakdown

Flacq pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇺 Flacq
🕒 Local time
22:23 10:23 PM
07:23 7:23 AM
9 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
16,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 47.12 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.61 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Flacq 16,350 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Flacq

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 Flacq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Flacq?
Flacq wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Flacq the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Flacq?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Playa del Carmen. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Flacq?
All in, you’ll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $495 in Flacq – Flacq is about 59% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Flacq?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $800/month in Playa del Carmen or in Flacq?
At $495 in Flacq versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $800 budget is realistic in Flacq but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Flacq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Flacq?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?