Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gili Air Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gili Air

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $858 in Gili Air, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,471 in Gili Air, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,084 in Gili Air, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Gili Air, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gili Air are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Gili Air 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$1.94 Rp 35.0K

504.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$17.43 Rp 315.2K

140.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.68 Rp 48.5K

292.16%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

145.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 Rp 6,772

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.62 Rp 29.4K

82.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.17 Rp 39.3K

103.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.28 Rp 23.2K

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.80 Rp 32.6K

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.86 Rp 15.5K

81.40%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.74 Rp 31.5K

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$10.63 Rp 192.3K

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

168.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.77 Rp 158.7K

23.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.64 Rp 47.7K

2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.91 Rp 34.6K

-2.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.67 Rp 30.3K

31.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.62 Rp 29.3K

37.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.77 Rp 14.0K

38.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.55 Rp 9,892

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.28 Rp 41.3K

83.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$16.36 Rp 295.8K

-36.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

-15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

32.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.21 Rp 3,783

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$6.79 Rp 122.8K

285.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.40 Rp 7,190

670.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.34 Rp 6,076

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.89 Rp 88.3K

-35.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.64 Rp 11.6K

104.69%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$21.3K Rp 384.9M

40.03%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$26.1K Rp 471.4M

-10.54%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$64.0 Rp 1.2M

26.96%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$3.28 Rp 59.4K

587.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$19.25 Rp 348.0K

56.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$56.7 Rp 1.0M

-6.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$3.76 Rp 68.0K

389.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$2.30 Rp 41.7K

113.91%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$201 Rp 3.6M

-0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,418 Rp 79.9M

17.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$44.84 Rp 810.8K

-19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$30.80 Rp 557.0K

30.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$63.2 Rp 1.1M

36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$482 Rp 8.7M

103.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$320 Rp 5.8M

47.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$1,646 Rp 29.8M

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$986 Rp 17.8M

22.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,350 Rp 24.4M

192.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,063 Rp 19.2M

521.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.28

-14.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gili Air: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $482 in Gili Air. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Gili Air. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $215 – making Gili Air 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 Gili Air: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,286 in Gili Air. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $858 in Gili Air. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 285% less in Gili Air. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gili Air, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Gili Air it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gili Air – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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