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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,363 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,362 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,361 in High Level.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, High Level is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.89 CA$23.39

-30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$70.7 CA$97.9

-41.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.94 CA$15.14

-2.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.76 CA$5.21

-6.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.99 CA$2.75

-24.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.67 CA$2.31

-41.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.60 CA$7.75

-47.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.85 CA$8.10

-23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.09 CA$2.90

-33.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.61 CA$3.62

-27.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.64 CA$5.03

-54.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.48 CA$4.82

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.99 CA$15.22

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.64 CA$16.12

-28.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.67 CA$20.31

-26.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.95 CA$5.47

-34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.41 CA$1.95

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.66 CA$5.07

-48.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.84 CA$5.31

-45.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.51 CA$3.47

-29.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.50 CA$3.46

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.62 CA$3.63

-60.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.77 CA$2.45

-38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$13.78 CA$19.08

-70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.82 CA$16.37

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.80 CA$3.87

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.04 CA$4.21

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.40 CA$3.32

-78.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$61.9 CA$85.8

-57.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.24 CA$4.49

0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.48 CA$2.05

68.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$25.67 CA$35.54

-87.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 CA$1.60

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$25.3K CA$35.0K

19.69%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.0K CA$29.1K

11.51%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$140 CA$194

-40.96%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$43.21 CA$59.8

-48.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$63.1 CA$87.4

-53.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$41.85 CA$57.9

23.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.57 CA$16.02

-56.18%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$723 CA$1,002

-72.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

-55.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$55.1 CA$76.2

-32.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.43 CA$54.6

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$86.3 CA$119

-9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$108 CA$150

-19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,327 CA$1,837

-26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,185 CA$1,640

-60.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,025 CA$2,804

-18.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,805 CA$2,500

-32.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$4,894 CA$6,776

-19.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,084 CA$5,654

59.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.46

76.78%

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 High Level: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,327 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $71.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $361 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 82% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,363 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $3,545 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,327 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,363 in High Level – a 82% 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 134% less than in High Level. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,363 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 82% less than in High Level. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.