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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,745 in Imperia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,610 in Imperia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,474 in Imperia.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Imperia is 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$13.70 €11.79

-14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$64.5 €55.5

-27.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$11.49 €9.89

1.39%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.80 €1.55

127.22%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$3.67 €3.16

-62.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.43 €1.23

-41.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$5.89 €5.06

-43.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.44 €4.68

27.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.83 €1.57

-5.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$2.16 €1.86

4.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$3.89 €3.35

-54.50%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$4.20 €3.61

-35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$12.62 €10.86

-27.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$12.75 €10.97

-30.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$23.34 €20.08

-46.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.54 €2.18

18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.47 €2.12

-36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.54 €3.04

-39.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$4.48 €3.86

-49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.46 €2.12

-18.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$1.72 €1.48

19.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.31 €1.13

-9.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.60 €0.51

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$7.64 €6.57

-39.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$4.91 €4.22

117.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.13 €0.97

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.49 €2.14

15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.95 €1.67

-70.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$58.5 €50.4

-49.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$8.04 €6.92

-32.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.27 €1.96

63.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$64.8 €55.8

-90.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$2.07 €1.78

-25.12%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$37.7K €32.4K

-40.71%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$37.3K €32.1K

-30.51%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$137 €118

-34.96%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.64 €9.16

135.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$30.30 €26.08

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$73.2 €63.0

-7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$25.80 €22.20

12.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$12.15 €10.45

-58.44%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$872 €750

-74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$19.9K €17.1K

-78.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$91.9 €79.1

-48.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$41.22 €35.47

9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$112 €96.4

-26.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$132 €114

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$812 €699

31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$628 €541

-35.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,756 €1,511

10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$921 €792

41.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,917 €2,510

36.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$2,110 €1,815

214.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,810 €1,557

-58.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.17

261.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Imperia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $812 in Imperia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Imperia pays 142% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Imperia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $352 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 Imperia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 142% lower in Imperia. 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $812 in Imperia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Imperia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $64.0 in Imperia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,745 in Imperia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Imperia. 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 Imperia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Imperia 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 35% less than in Imperia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.