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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,637 in Georgetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,760 in Georgetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,884 in Georgetown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Georgetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Georgetown is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$17.79 GYD 3,699

-34.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$70.6 GYD 14.7K

-34.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$9.56 GYD 1,988

21.86%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$5.74 GYD 1,194

-28.75%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$1.22 GYD 254

12.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$0.62 GYD 128

33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$1.88 GYD 391

78.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.43 GYD 713

101.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$3.31 GYD 688

-47.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$2.14 GYD 444

5.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$2.00 GYD 415

-11.50%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$4.18 GYD 869

-34.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$15.60 GYD 3,245

-41.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.14 GYD 1,485

24.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$9.13 GYD 1,899

38.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$8.09 GYD 1,682

-62.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$3.94 GYD 820

-60.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$3.95 GYD 821

-46.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$7.00 GYD 1,457

-67.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.44 GYD 508

-18.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$3.10 GYD 645

-33.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$3.04 GYD 632

-61.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$1.68 GYD 349

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$3.42 GYD 712

35.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$16.81 GYD 3,496

-36.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$1.84 GYD 383

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$2.62 GYD 546

9.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$0.55 GYD 115

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$61.0 GYD 12.7K

-51.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$4.36 GYD 906

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$2.33 GYD 484

58.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$11.98 GYD 2,491

-50.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.02 GYD 212

51.96%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$27.6K GYD 5.7M

-19.21%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$22.8K GYD 4.7M

13.85%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$122 GYD 25.4K

-26.91%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$21.33 GYD 4,435

17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$43.92 GYD 9,133

-28.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$38.59 GYD 8,026

75.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$15.11 GYD 3,142

91.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$6.34 GYD 1,319

-20.35%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$1,015 GYD 211.2K

-77.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$19.0K GYD 4.0M

-77.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$37.78 GYD 7,858

25.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$41.31 GYD 8,591

8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$136 GYD 28.3K

-39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$86.5 GYD 18.0K

6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$954 GYD 198.4K

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$514 GYD 106.9K

-21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$3,290 GYD 684.2K

-41.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$1,312 GYD 272.8K

-0.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$3,628 GYD 754.6K

10.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$1,559 GYD 324.2K

325.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$515 GYD 107.2K

45.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.94

64.99%

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 Georgetown: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $954 in Georgetown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Georgetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $398 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Georgetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Georgetown costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,455 in Georgetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,015 in Georgetown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Georgetown at $1,637. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Georgetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,637 in Georgetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Georgetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.