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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,618 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,071 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $9,524 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 246% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$30.65 KYD 25.13

-60.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$144 KYD 118

-70.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$15.94 KYD 13.07

-32.56%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$6.90 KYD 5.65

-49.28%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.36 KYD 2.76

-56.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.72 KYD 2.23

-67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$9.27 KYD 7.60

-68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$8.18 KYD 6.71

-44.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$3.02 KYD 2.48

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$5.30 KYD 4.35

-65.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$5.75 KYD 4.72

-72.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$9.84 KYD 8.07

-74.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.71 KYD 9.60

-29.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$16.01 KYD 13.13

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$16.24 KYD 13.32

-34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$10.67 KYD 8.75

-75.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$4.66 KYD 3.82

-69.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$7.91 KYD 6.49

-75.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$7.64 KYD 6.27

-72.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$5.34 KYD 4.38

-65.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$5.50 KYD 4.51

-60.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$6.09 KYD 5.00

-83.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$3.00 KYD 2.46

-64.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.61 KYD 11.98

-71.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$25.67 KYD 21.05

-60.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$3.92 KYD 3.21

-57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$5.16 KYD 4.23

-50.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.45 KYD 2.01

-79.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$30.28 KYD 24.83

-14.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$18.28 KYD 14.99

-82.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$4.82 KYD 3.95

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$59.4 KYD 48.69

-94.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.71 KYD 1.40

-22.81%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

-24.23%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

-30.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$385 KYD 316

-78.72%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$97.8 KYD 80.2

-76.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$110 KYD 90.4

-72.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$106 KYD 86.9

-50.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$40.38 KYD 33.11

-54.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$18.17 KYD 14.90

-72.59%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$1,744 KYD 1,430

-88.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

-78.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$91.7 KYD 75.2

-61.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$70.8 KYD 58.1

-43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$147 KYD 121

-46.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$149 KYD 122

-40.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$2,806 KYD 2,301

-66.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$2,485 KYD 2,038

-80.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$5,558 KYD 4,557

-70.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$4,697 KYD 3,851

-74.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$8,809 KYD 7,223

-53.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$2,303 KYD 1,889

180.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$7,125 KYD 5,842

-90.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.25

38.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $2,806 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 990% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $144 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $629 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 268% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $4,618 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 990% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,806 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $4,618 in George Town – a 268% 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 16% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,618 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 268% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.