Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,275 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,297 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,318 in High Level.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 43% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, High Level is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$16.86 CA$23.38

-29.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$60.0 CA$83.2

-20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$11.19 CA$15.52

5.00%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.31 CA$4.60

24.47%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.03 CA$2.81

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.68 CA$2.33

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.94 CA$8.23

-45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.04 CA$6.99

40.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.96 CA$2.72

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.83 CA$3.93

-24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.33 CA$4.62

-46.85%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.09 CA$4.28

-8.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.17 CA$12.72

0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$13.08 CA$18.14

-29.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.79 CA$20.51

-14.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.41 CA$6.11

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.17 CA$1.63

35.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.62 CA$5.02

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.39 CA$6.09

-46.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.29 CA$3.17

-13.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.50 CA$3.47

-20.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.60 CA$3.60

-52.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.58 CA$2.19

-23.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$13.74 CA$19.05

-66.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.14 CA$15.45

-5.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.78 CA$3.86

-39.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.91 CA$4.04

-4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.17 CA$3.01

-72.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$55.6 CA$77.1

-46.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.66 CA$3.69

96.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.42 CA$1.97

157.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$27.06 CA$37.53

-78.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.15 CA$1.59

33.91%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.4K CA$40.7K

-22.37%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.1K CA$26.5K

35.16%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$139 CA$192

-34.65%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$33.52 CA$46.49

-24.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.8 CA$73.3

-39.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$42.19 CA$58.5

63.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$20.93 CA$29.03

40.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$12.23 CA$16.96

-60.26%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$887 CA$1,230

-74.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$12.6K CA$17.5K

-66.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$56.9 CA$78.9

-16.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$43.52 CA$60.4

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$73.9 CA$103

8.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$105 CA$146

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,276 CA$1,770

-14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,281 CA$1,777

-68.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,717 CA$2,382

14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,568 CA$2,175

-18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$4,084 CA$5,665

-0.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$4,144 CA$5,748

61.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.68

144.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,276 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $360 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and High Level differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $2,275 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $3,413 in High Level 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,276 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,275 in High Level – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 87% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,275 in High Level, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in High Level. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and High Level are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.