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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $761 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,223 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,685 in Itapema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 66% more expensive than in Itapema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Itapema 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$5.44 R$27.81

115.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$28.17 R$144

48.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.21 R$31.77

69.24%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.74 R$8.93

106.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.08 R$5.54

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.66 R$3.38

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.78 R$9.09

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.66 R$13.59

65.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.00 R$5.09

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.43 R$7.32

31.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.18 R$6.03

32.20%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.92 R$9.85

35.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.38 R$42.88

-0.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.64 R$18.62

129.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.28 R$37.25

49.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.07 R$10.60

30.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.25 R$6.41

20.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.20 R$6.12

55.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.47 R$7.52

48.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.19 R$6.09

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.10 R$5.61

102.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.71 R$3.62

50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.66 R$3.38

65.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.08 R$10.63

101.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.36 R$37.68

41.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.22 R$6.26

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.12 R$10.85

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.92 R$4.70

-41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$38.51 R$197

-32.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.09 R$5.60

182.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.76 R$3.91

215.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$6.47 R$33.12

-51.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.05 R$5.36

24.76%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$20.4K R$104.5K

46.00%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$27.5K R$140.9K

-15.33%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$60.4 R$309

34.48%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$13.63 R$69.8

65.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$18.90 R$96.7

58.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$22.72 R$116

132.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$21.77 R$111

-15.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.41 R$32.82

-23.24%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$278 R$1,424

-27.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,452 R$33.0K

-19.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$47.55 R$243

-24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$42.95 R$220

-6.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.8 R$383

6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$62.5 R$320

38.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$311 R$1,592

214.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$215 R$1,101

118.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$587 R$3,002

181.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$424 R$2,171

183.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,449 R$7,414

172.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,046 R$5,354

531.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.92

4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Itapema: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $311 in Itapema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Itapema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $173 per month, with Itapema 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 Itapema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itapema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,142 in Itapema 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $311 in Itapema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $761 in Itapema – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $761 in Itapema versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Itapema 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 Itapema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.