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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,063 in Forster.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,072 in Forster.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,081 in Forster.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 38% less than in Forster, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Forster is 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$16.50 A$23.10

-27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$77.6 A$109

-44.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.97 A$11.16

32.87%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.39 A$4.75

6.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.48 A$3.48

-40.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.92 A$2.69

-51.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$6.62 A$9.27

-53.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$5.27 A$7.38

-15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.96 A$1.35

48.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.80 A$3.92

-32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.23 A$3.12

-26.91%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.01 A$4.21

-12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.56 A$11.98

-4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.33 A$8.86

30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$14.31 A$20.03

-22.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.87 A$4.01

-7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.91 A$2.67

-21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.99 A$2.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.48 A$6.27

-53.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.59 A$2.22

12.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.02 A$1.42

113.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.98 A$2.77

-45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.24 A$1.73

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$32.32 A$45.24

-87.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.55 A$20.37

-29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$4.63 A$6.49

-62.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$5.51 A$7.71

-54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.57 A$3.60

-79.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$63.9 A$89.4

-57.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.92 A$5.48

-19.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.62 A$2.27

48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$52.5 A$73.5

-94.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.19 A$1.66

6.72%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$29.1K A$40.8K

5.99%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.9K A$32.0K

1.92%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$64.9 A$90.9

26.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$24.01 A$33.62

-6.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$53.2 A$74.5

-44.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$48.93 A$68.5

6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$15.59 A$21.82

19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$12.51 A$17.51

-60.27%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$330 A$462

-40.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,828 A$5,359

37.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$65.0 A$91.0

-44.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$57.8 A$81.0

-30.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$96.9 A$136

-17.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$133 A$186

-33.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,255 A$1,757

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,058 A$1,481

-56.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,989 A$2,785

-19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,670 A$2,338

-27.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$6,195 A$8,673

-36.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$5,343 A$7,480

20.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,554 A$4,975

-79.73%

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 Forster: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,255 in Forster. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Forster pays 393% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $78.0 in Forster for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $308 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 Forster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Forster differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,063 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Forster earns 393% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,255 in Forster. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $330 in Forster. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Forster. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,063 in Forster, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Forster. 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 Forster 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 60% less than in Forster. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.