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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,746 in Goyave.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,978 in Goyave.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,210 in Goyave.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 26% less than in Goyave, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Goyave is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.78 €1.54

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$8.71 €7.56

-78.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$9.37 €8.13

-82.50%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$11.38 €9.87

-77.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$17.46 €15.15

-52.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$40.25 €34.92

-73.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$7.14 €6.19

-63.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$3.45 €3.00

-57.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$6.24 €5.41

-69.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$6.89 €5.98

-69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$2.34 €2.03

-23.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.69 €1.47

29.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$4.73 €4.10

-78.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$2.30 €1.99

-53.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$17.57 €15.24

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$2.19 €1.90

-40.18%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$173 €150

-51.96%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$11.39 €9.88

95.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$57.2 €49.60

-48.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

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

$201 MX$3,507

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$587 €509

65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$939 €815

-50.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,755 €1,523

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$2,516 €2,182

-51.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$2,463 €2,137

60.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$3,022 €2,622

115.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$2,240 €1,944

-70.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.5

226.29%

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 Goyave: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $587 in Goyave. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Goyave pays 237% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Goyave: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Goyave earns 237% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $587 in Goyave. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 142% higher in Goyave. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,746 in Goyave – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,746 in Goyave, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Goyave. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Goyave. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.