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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,226 in Georgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,998 in Georgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,770 in Georgetown.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than Georgetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Georgetown 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.44 EC$20.10

57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.97 EC$29.61

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.46 EC$3.93

3.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.83 EC$4.95

-46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.49 EC$4.04

97.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.78 EC$10.21

17.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.39 EC$6.45

-42.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.59 EC$4.30

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.64 EC$4.44

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.39 EC$11.86

-42.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.74 EC$26.30

-14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.87 EC$13.16

71.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.52 EC$39.20

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$18.82 EC$50.8

-86.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$8.08 EC$21.82

-76.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.62 EC$17.87

-68.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$6.35 EC$17.13

-71.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$4.17 EC$11.25

-47.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.71 EC$10.03

-71.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.94 EC$7.95

-63.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.07 EC$16.39

-32.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.58 EC$6.97

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.73 EC$10.07

-30.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.55 EC$6.87

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$110 EC$298

-76.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$36.43 EC$98.4

-91.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.4K EC$98.4K

-16.87%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$56.6 EC$153

-48.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.41 EC$60.5

130.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$18.63 EC$50.3

-1.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.51 EC$20.26

-32.49%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$183 EC$493

9.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$73.6 EC$199

-49.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$110 EC$297

-63.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$182 EC$491

-56.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$146 EC$393

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$299 EC$808

225.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$222 EC$599

110.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,097 EC$8,361

-46.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$664 EC$1,792

83.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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 Georgetown: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $299 in Georgetown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,839 in Georgetown to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $299 in Georgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $183 in Georgetown. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Georgetown runs roughly 317% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,226 in Georgetown versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Georgetown but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Georgetown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Georgetown is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Georgetown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.