Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and La Marsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and La Marsa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $792 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,318 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,843 in La Marsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than La Marsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, La Marsa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.33 TND 9.65

248.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$20.55 TND 59.6

129.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.42 TND 15.71

119.19%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.28 TND 3.72

210.94%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.58 TND 1.68

146.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.26 TND 0.75

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.51 TND 4.37

111.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.11 TND 6.11

221.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.52 TND 1.50

223.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.32 TND 0.94

587.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.34 TND 6.78

-26.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.90 TND 5.50

44.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.13 TND 29.39

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.85 TND 19.88

31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.35 TND 38.71

-4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.04 TND 5.91

41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.71 TND 10.75

-59.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.49 TND 4.32

44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.64 TND 1.87

253.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.56 TND 1.62

253.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.63 TND 1.83

215.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.42 TND 1.22

192.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.31 TND 0.91

287.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.85 TND 11.15

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.92 TND 20.09

49.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.29 TND 3.74

25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.66 TND 4.81

73.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.33 TND 0.95

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$7.30 TND 21.17

294.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.32 TND 0.94

1584.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.43 TND 1.25

767.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$4.03 TND 11.70

43.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.88 TND 2.56

75.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$38.5K TND 111.7K

-41.46%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$32.2K TND 93.3K

-19.01%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$35.46 TND 103

157.70%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$12.86 TND 37.30

95.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$18.48 TND 53.6

69.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.76 TND 124

57.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.25 TND 21.02

301.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.55 TND 16.11

-12.43%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$60.7 TND 176

268.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,657 TND 7,708

59.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$65.2 TND 189

-27.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$72.8 TND 211

-39.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$91.7 TND 266

-12.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$94.0 TND 273

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$290 TND 842

266.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$240 TND 697

62.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$710 TND 2,060

202.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$579 TND 1,680

119.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,864 TND 5,406

114.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,034 TND 3,000

528.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$340 TND 987

122.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-18.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $290 in La Marsa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 123% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $204 – making La Marsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 La Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,188 in La Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Marsa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $792 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 295% less in La Marsa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Marsa, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In La Marsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Marsa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with La Marsa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.