Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $44.76 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$44.76

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $45 in Gan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Gan $45

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $73 in Gan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Gan $73

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Gan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Gan $101

Playa del Carmen costs about 2591% more than Gan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Gan 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$5.60 MVR 86.3

95.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$815

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.6

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

$1.28 MX$24.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.64

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.41

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$239

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.71

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.90

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.44

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.16

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

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.4

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

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

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.6

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

$207 MX$3,882

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$815

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,394

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,677

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

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

$547 MVR 8,442

1024.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Gan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Gan

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Gan

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Gan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Gan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Gan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Gan

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Gan

–

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇲🇻 Gan

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

08:22 8:22 AM

10 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MVR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

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).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.22 MVR (100 MVR = 5.81 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

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Playa del Carmen Gan 16,740 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Gan

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 Gan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 2591%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $67 in Gan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $45, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Gan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $45 in Gan to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.