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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,602 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,054 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $9,505 in George Town.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 72% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, George Town is 243% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.62 KYD 25.11

-61.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$144 KYD 118

-71.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$15.85 KYD 13.00

-32.87%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$6.91 KYD 5.66

-49.06%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.52 KYD 2.88

-57.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.72 KYD 2.23

-64.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$9.05 KYD 7.42

-67.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.60 KYD 7.05

-48.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.05 KYD 2.50

-54.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$5.26 KYD 4.32

-64.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$5.83 KYD 4.78

-71.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$9.98 KYD 8.19

-74.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.82 KYD 9.70

-29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$15.84 KYD 12.99

-47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.30 KYD 13.37

-34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$10.46 KYD 8.58

-75.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$4.55 KYD 3.73

-67.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$7.82 KYD 6.41

-75.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$7.78 KYD 6.38

-73.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$5.30 KYD 4.35

-66.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$5.41 KYD 4.44

-59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$6.37 KYD 5.22

-83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.92 KYD 2.39

-63.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$14.42 KYD 11.82

-71.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$25.05 KYD 20.54

-58.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.03 KYD 3.30

-57.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.18 KYD 4.25

-50.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.39 KYD 1.96

-78.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$30.50 KYD 25.01

-13.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$18.37 KYD 15.06

-82.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$4.89 KYD 4.01

-49.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$60.6 KYD 49.65

-94.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.76 KYD 1.44

-25.57%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.3K KYD 32.2K

-22.97%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.7K KYD 27.6K

-30.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$398 KYD 326

-79.16%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$97.7 KYD 80.1

-77.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$109 KYD 89.0

-72.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$105 KYD 86.0

-50.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$40.53 KYD 33.24

-54.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$17.74 KYD 14.55

-71.42%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$1,747 KYD 1,433

-88.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$25.0K KYD 20.5K

-79.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$91.8 KYD 75.2

-59.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$71.9 KYD 59.0

-44.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$150 KYD 123

-47.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$149 KYD 122

-41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$2,839 KYD 2,328

-65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$2,527 KYD 2,072

-81.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$5,662 KYD 4,643

-71.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$4,683 KYD 3,840

-73.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$8,623 KYD 7,071

-54.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,256 KYD 1,850

188.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$7,737 KYD 6,344

-91.42%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for George Town: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $2,839 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 1065% 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 $628 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 255% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $4,602 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, George Town earns 1065% 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,839 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $4,602 in George Town – a 255% 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 15% less than in George Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,602 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 255% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.