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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $783 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,233 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,682 in Itapema.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than Itapema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Itapema 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.48 R$27.75

116.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$28.31 R$143

51.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.38 R$32.30

66.93%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.82 R$9.22

89.56%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.11 R$5.64

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.62 R$3.14

53.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.75 R$8.86

73.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.72 R$13.76

69.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.99 R$5.02

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.51 R$7.64

22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.18 R$6.00

36.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.95 R$9.89

32.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.04 R$40.71

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.57 R$18.07

134.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.16 R$36.25

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.08 R$10.51

26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.24 R$6.29

20.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.18 R$5.98

62.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.44 R$7.31

45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.15 R$5.82

61.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.05 R$5.33

115.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.67 R$3.38

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.62 R$3.14

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.08 R$10.51

99.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.37 R$37.29

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.22 R$6.20

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.13 R$10.76

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.92 R$4.66

-41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$38.49 R$195

-30.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.11 R$5.62

181.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.75 R$3.78

234.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.26 R$31.72

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.04 R$5.24

22.12%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.6K R$104.4K

47.31%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.0K R$141.7K

-15.80%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$61.5 R$311

34.92%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.31 R$67.4

70.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$19.08 R$96.6

54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.20 R$112

129.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.96 R$111

-16.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.15 R$31.13

-19.84%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$284 R$1,439

-30.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,405 R$32.4K

-17.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$46.44 R$235

-20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$43.23 R$219

-7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$76.2 R$386

5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$62.2 R$315

43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 R$1,601

202.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$215 R$1,090

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$582 R$2,949

182.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$438 R$2,216

179.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,470 R$7,442

166.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,029 R$5,212

527.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Itapema: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $316 in Itapema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Itapema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $172 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,175 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Itapema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $783 in Itapema – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $783 in Itapema versus $1,271 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 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.