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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,253 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,312 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,370 in Forbes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 43% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Forbes is 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$16.01 A$22.42

-25.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$77.3 A$108

-44.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.55 A$13.37

10.89%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.38 A$4.74

7.10%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.61 A$3.66

-43.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$2.17 A$3.04

-56.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$6.52 A$9.13

-52.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.93 A$9.70

-35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.42 A$1.98

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.43 A$3.40

-22.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.98 A$2.77

-17.68%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.36 A$6.10

-39.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.64 A$12.10

-4.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.62 A$12.06

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.74 A$19.24

-19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.24 A$4.53

-18.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.81 A$3.93

-46.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.95 A$4.13

-32.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.07 A$5.70

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.39 A$3.34

-25.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.10 A$2.94

3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.11 A$2.95

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.53 A$2.14

-32.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$31.13 A$43.59

-87.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$13.48 A$18.87

-24.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$4.48 A$6.27

-61.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$5.23 A$7.32

-52.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.62 A$3.67

-80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$64.1 A$89.7

-57.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.54 A$4.95

-11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.53 A$2.15

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$33.24 A$46.54

-90.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.13 A$1.58

12.39%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.6K A$40.1K

7.92%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.3K A$31.2K

4.58%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$186 A$260

-55.90%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$27.73 A$38.83

-19.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$53.2 A$74.5

-44.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$49.41 A$69.2

4.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$15.48 A$21.68

20.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.18 A$18.45

-62.29%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$1,600 A$2,240

-87.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$11.8K A$16.6K

-55.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$67.9 A$95.0

-46.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$51.2 A$71.7

-21.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$98.0 A$137

-18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$108 A$151

-17.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,278 A$1,789

-24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,070 A$1,499

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,026 A$2,836

-21.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,680 A$2,352

-28.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$6,262 A$8,767

-37.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$5,125 A$7,175

25.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.34

80.13%

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 Forbes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,278 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $77.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $337 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Forbes differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,253 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $3,380 in Forbes 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 $1,278 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,253 in Forbes – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 138% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,253 in Forbes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Forbes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.