Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,824 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,348 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $9,872 in George Town.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 73% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, George Town is 251% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$29.84 KYD 24.47

-60.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$115 KYD 94.6

-59.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$16.54 KYD 13.57

-29.56%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$7.07 KYD 5.80

-42.15%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$3.05 KYD 2.50

-55.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$2.79 KYD 2.28

-70.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$7.27 KYD 5.96

-53.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$9.69 KYD 7.94

-28.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$4.64 KYD 3.80

-62.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$4.33 KYD 3.55

-47.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$4.39 KYD 3.60

-59.68%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$7.46 KYD 6.12

-63.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$55.0 KYD 45.06

-83.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$19.25 KYD 15.79

-53.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$19.72 KYD 16.17

-36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$7.41 KYD 6.08

-59.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$3.68 KYD 3.02

-57.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$6.09 KYD 4.99

-65.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$7.88 KYD 6.46

-71.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$4.14 KYD 3.39

-51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$3.98 KYD 3.26

-48.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$3.19 KYD 2.62

-63.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$2.17 KYD 1.78

-44.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$14.43 KYD 11.83

-67.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$25.24 KYD 20.69

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$4.14 KYD 3.40

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$5.68 KYD 4.66

-49.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$2.33 KYD 1.91

-75.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$81.6 KYD 66.9

-63.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$18.57 KYD 15.23

-70.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$3.89 KYD 3.19

-4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$44.79 KYD 36.73

-86.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.64 KYD 1.35

-5.49%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

-47.41%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

-38.65%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$458 KYD 376

-80.54%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$120 KYD 98.5

-79.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$115 KYD 94.1

-72.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$219 KYD 179

-69.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$35.38 KYD 29.01

-18.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$18.45 KYD 15.13

-72.63%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$1,832 KYD 1,502

-87.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

-84.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$84.9 KYD 69.6

-44.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$73.9 KYD 60.6

-39.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$137 KYD 112

-39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$143 KYD 117

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$2,909 KYD 2,385

-63.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$2,443 KYD 2,003

-83.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$5,779 KYD 4,739

-66.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$4,770 KYD 3,911

-72.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$8,648 KYD 7,092

-53.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$2,307 KYD 1,892

187.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$7,390 KYD 6,060

-89.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

43.12%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $2,909 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 887% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $115 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $722 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 George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and George Town differ by about 273% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $4,824 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 887% lower in George Town. 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,909 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $4,824 in George Town – a 273% 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 173% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,824 in George Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in George Town. 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 George Town 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 273% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.