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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,317 in Georgetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,386 in Georgetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,456 in Georgetown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Georgetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Georgetown are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Georgetown 1% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$210
$12.09 GYD 2,515
-0.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$731
$70.6 GYD 14.7K
-40.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$188
$8.51 GYD 1,770
26.32%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$61.1
$5.08 GYD 1,057
-31.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.33
$1.18 GYD 246
22.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.47
$0.66 GYD 136
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.6
$2.00 GYD 417
47.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.9
$2.39 GYD 497
88.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$25.04
$3.33 GYD 692
-57.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$32.13
$2.03 GYD 423
-9.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.42
$1.98 GYD 411
-20.71%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.92
$3.99 GYD 830
-37.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$145
$14.02 GYD 2,916
-40.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$6.26 GYD 1,302
34.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$187
$9.40 GYD 1,955
13.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.62
$9.65 GYD 2,006
-72.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.15
$2.56 GYD 533
-43.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.31
$3.26 GYD 677
-39.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.62
$6.51 GYD 1,353
-67.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.37
$2.50 GYD 519
-26.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.90
$2.91 GYD 605
-25.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$18.04
$2.26 GYD 470
-54.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.78
$1.45 GYD 301
-26.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.7
$2.71 GYD 564
51.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$178
$17.04 GYD 3,544
-40.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.29
$1.69 GYD 352
-0.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$44.17
$2.54 GYD 529
-0.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.90
$0.59 GYD 123
-13.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$455
$28.90 GYD 6,010
-9.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.5
$3.12 GYD 650
3.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$42.06
$3.27 GYD 680
-26.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.5
$11.88 GYD 2,470
-72.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.10
$1.00 GYD 208
32.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$519.2K
$22.6K GYD 4.7M
31.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$413.7K
$17.7K GYD 3.7M
33.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,434
$91.3 GYD 19.0K
-10.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$401
$26.96 GYD 5,607
-14.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$527
$51.8 GYD 10.8K
-41.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$909
$39.09 GYD 8,129
32.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$324
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$87.0
$6.88 GYD 1,431
-27.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,452
$1,016 GYD 211.4K
-80.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$93.3K
$22.9K GYD 4.8M
-76.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$622
$33.82 GYD 7,034
5.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$705
$53.2 GYD 11.1K
-24.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,377
$130 GYD 27.0K
-39.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$75.4 GYD 15.7K
17.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.6K
$783 GYD 162.7K
21.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,288
$323 GYD 67.2K
46.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.7K
$2,442 GYD 507.8K
-32.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.2K
$1,146 GYD 238.3K
5.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.9K
$3,584 GYD 745.4K
13.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$113.1K
$1,551 GYD 322.6K
317.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Georgetown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$514 GYD 107.0K
27.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
7.5
52.27%

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 Georgetown: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $783 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 27% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Georgetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $376 – 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
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Georgetown?
Georgetown costs about 5% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Georgetown?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,975 in Georgetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Georgetown?
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.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Georgetown?
Public transport costs about 11% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Georgetown?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,016 in Georgetown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Georgetown?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Georgetown at $1,317. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Georgetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Georgetown?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,317 in Georgetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Georgetown?
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.

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