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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $758 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,346 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,935 in La Marsa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.35 TND 9.77

254.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.69 TND 63.3

97.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.09 TND 11.94

160.39%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.71 TND 2.07

385.92%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.65 TND 1.89

130.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.25 TND 0.73

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.49 TND 4.36

103.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.50 TND 7.30

84.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.51 TND 1.48

170.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.18 TND 0.54

927.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.51 TND 4.39

6.62%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.59 TND 4.63

62.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.07 TND 32.31

-25.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.62 TND 16.40

48.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$13.31 TND 38.84

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.88 TND 5.49

39.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.02 TND 8.81

-50.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.05 TND 3.05

82.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.67 TND 1.97

211.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.64 TND 1.88

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.50 TND 1.47

352.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.37 TND 1.07

186.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.25 TND 0.73

336.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.42 TND 9.96

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.00 TND 20.43

48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.10 TND 3.21

56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.05 TND 3.06

148.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.33 TND 0.96

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$6.75 TND 19.70

299.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.29 TND 0.84

979.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 TND 0.64

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.14 TND 12.09

-23.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.88 TND 2.56

44.32%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$34.8K TND 101.5K

-12.72%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.9K TND 78.4K

-12.35%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$34.87 TND 102

138.03%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.87 TND 28.80

130.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$14.60 TND 42.61

101.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$45.21 TND 132

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$7.44 TND 21.69

146.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.47 TND 13.03

10.29%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$85.8 TND 250

129.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,413 TND 7,039

118.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$44.40 TND 130

-16.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$44.25 TND 129

-9.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$90.0 TND 263

-11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$64.2 TND 187

39.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$352 TND 1,027

171.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$279 TND 815

70.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$776 TND 2,263

112.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$829 TND 2,420

47.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,842 TND 5,374

112.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,070 TND 3,120

503.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$348 TND 1,014

91.89%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $352 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 92% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $185 – 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 68%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,136 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $758 in La Marsa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 299% 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 $758, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.