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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,190 in Georgetown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,997 in Georgetown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,803 in Georgetown.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Georgetown 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.58 EC$20.46

58.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.88 EC$29.38

-1.19%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.52 EC$4.11

-4.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.84 EC$4.96

-52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.51 EC$4.09

95.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.68 EC$9.93

22.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.47 EC$6.67

-42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.62 EC$4.36

13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.66 EC$4.48

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.31 EC$11.64

-41.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.75 EC$26.33

-15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.80 EC$12.95

75.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.54 EC$39.27

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$18.63 EC$50.3

-85.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$8.08 EC$21.82

-75.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.65 EC$17.96

-68.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$6.35 EC$17.14

-70.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$4.10 EC$11.08

-47.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.67 EC$9.92

-71.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.91 EC$7.87

-63.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.98 EC$16.15

-31.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.68 EC$7.23

-37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.76 EC$10.15

-32.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.65 EC$7.16

-80.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$110 EC$298

-76.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$37.02 EC$100.0

-91.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.6K EC$98.9K

-18.89%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$55.0 EC$149

-45.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.27 EC$60.1

133.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$18.26 EC$49.30

1.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.44 EC$20.08

-33.06%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$186 EC$502

6.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$74.1 EC$200

-51.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$110 EC$298

-63.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$184 EC$496

-57.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$149 EC$401

-40.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$294 EC$793

222.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$224 EC$606

111.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$3,083 EC$8,323

-46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$661 EC$1,784

83.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Georgetown: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $294 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 $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,786 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 in Georgetown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $186 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 323% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,190 in Georgetown versus $1,256 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.