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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $775 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,371 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,967 in La Marsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% 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 5% lower, La Marsa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.44 TND 10.09

240.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$22.43 TND 65.8

86.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.05 TND 11.88

159.51%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.76 TND 2.24

372.37%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.60 TND 1.75

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.23 TND 0.67

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.53 TND 4.50

93.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.60 TND 7.63

69.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.50 TND 1.48

180.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.19 TND 0.56

889.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.48 TND 4.33

5.41%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.65 TND 4.84

58.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.15 TND 32.71

-25.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.53 TND 16.23

50.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.45 TND 39.46

-19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.89 TND 5.55

43.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.95 TND 8.66

-48.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.05 TND 3.09

78.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.68 TND 1.98

222.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.67 TND 1.97

177.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.48 TND 1.40

364.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.37 TND 1.08

189.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.27 TND 0.79

303.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.48 TND 10.21

20.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.57 TND 19.29

58.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.11 TND 3.25

49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.10 TND 3.22

137.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.33 TND 0.97

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$6.66 TND 19.53

292.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.31 TND 0.92

893.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 TND 0.65

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.12 TND 12.10

-24.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.82 TND 2.42

59.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.1K TND 103.0K

-15.07%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.6K TND 80.9K

-15.36%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$35.23 TND 103

130.71%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.87 TND 28.96

128.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$14.66 TND 43.03

104.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$45.21 TND 133

17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.45 TND 21.86

146.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.52 TND 13.25

8.85%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$84.9 TND 249

136.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,399 TND 7,041

115.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$44.13 TND 130

-18.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$44.53 TND 131

-9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$88.8 TND 261

-10.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$65.0 TND 191

33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$345 TND 1,013

183.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$284 TND 834

65.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$781 TND 2,291

111.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$836 TND 2,454

43.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,807 TND 5,302

118.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,020 TND 2,993

547.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$341 TND 1,002

98.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.6

-16.03%

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 La Marsa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 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 98% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $184 – 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 63%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $775 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 293% 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 $775, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.