🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,944 in Gore.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,907 in Gore.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,869 in Gore.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 35% less than in Gore, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Gore is 42% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$15.01NZ$26.23
-22.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$812
$59.2NZ$104
-20.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$10.26NZ$17.93
15.79%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.6
$3.06NZ$5.35
30.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$1.86NZ$3.25
-23.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.22
$1.83NZ$3.21
-55.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$55.0
$5.52NZ$9.66
-42.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$5.52NZ$9.65
23.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.89
$1.92NZ$3.36
-12.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.88
$1.92NZ$3.36
14.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.45
$2.01NZ$3.51
-14.93%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.26
$5.99NZ$10.47
-54.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$8.22NZ$14.37
16.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$9.02NZ$15.77
-0.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$13.55NZ$23.68
-5.46%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.81
$2.96NZ$5.17
-2.36%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.81
$2.05NZ$3.58
-26.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$37.03
$3.22NZ$5.63
-33.23%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.96
$4.97NZ$8.68
-54.53%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.15
$2.24NZ$3.91
-11.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.30
$1.43NZ$2.50
39.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.28
$1.83NZ$3.20
-32.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.63
$1.06NZ$1.85
13.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.5
$21.42NZ$37.44
-78.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$8.52NZ$14.89
21.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.91
$3.05NZ$5.33
-46.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.67
$3.24NZ$5.66
-11.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.35
$1.59NZ$2.78
-62.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$497
$91.1NZ$159
-68.40%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.9
$2.02NZ$3.53
166.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.3
$1.90NZ$3.33
96.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.5
$27.74NZ$48.49
-79.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.48
$1.69NZ$2.95
-8.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.8K
$25.0KNZ$43.7K
-9.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$449.3K
$21.7KNZ$37.9K
20.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,576
$118NZ$206
-22.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$435
$25.04NZ$43.78
0.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$539
$57.0NZ$99.6
-45.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,159
$42.66NZ$74.6
57.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$502
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.8
$11.76NZ$20.56
-58.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,856
$789NZ$1,379
-71.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.9K
$15.2KNZ$26.5K
-72.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$812
$56.7NZ$99.1
-16.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$764
$36.35NZ$63.6
21.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,381
$87.0NZ$152
-7.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,598
$108NZ$189
-14.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$1,009NZ$1,764
5.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,728
$771NZ$1,348
-49.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.1K
$1,468NZ$2,567
46.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$1,652NZ$2,888
-23.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$69.0K
$5,062NZ$8,849
-20.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.1K
$3,829NZ$6,694
69.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Gore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
5.4
112.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Gore: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,009 in Gore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $59.0 in Gore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $314 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
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 Gore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Gore?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Gore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Gore?
You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $2,917 in Gore 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Gore?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,009 in Gore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Gore?
Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $789 in Gore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Gore?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Gore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Gore?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,944 in Gore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Gore. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Gore?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Gore?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Gore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Gore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared