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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $591 in La Paz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $965 in La Paz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,338 in La Paz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 119% more than La Paz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and La Paz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, La Paz 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.77 HNL 154

103.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$38.17 HNL 1,017

9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.61 HNL 203

39.82%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.25 HNL 60.0

56.44%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.96 HNL 25.52

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.13 HNL 30.05

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.18 HNL 31.34

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.75 HNL 73.1

61.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.45 HNL 38.49

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.09 HNL 55.8

-9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.21 HNL 32.29

35.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.02 HNL 53.9

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.05 HNL 161

37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.68 HNL 97.9

126.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.98 HNL 212

34.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.00 HNL 79.8

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.50 HNL 40.06

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.50 HNL 39.97

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.58 HNL 41.98

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.65 HNL 43.83

7.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.37 HNL 36.39

59.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.90 HNL 23.85

15.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.64 HNL 43.61

-34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.55 HNL 67.9

60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.34 HNL 35.64

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.80 HNL 48.00

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.17 HNL 111

-21.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.04 HNL 27.67

25.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.4K HNL 517.1K

55.92%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$19.1K HNL 508.7K

22.65%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$82.3 HNL 2,192

0.66%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.96 HNL 239

147.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$41.26 HNL 1,099

-28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.93 HNL 158

-14.50%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$253 HNL 6,748

-20.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.40 HNL 1,236

-20.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.27 HNL 939

12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$110 HNL 2,940

-28.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$104 HNL 2,763

-16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for La Paz: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in La Paz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $188 – making La Paz 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 Paz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 119%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $887 in La Paz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $38.00 in La Paz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in La Paz, where all-in costs run around $591, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In La Paz 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 Paz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with La Paz. 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.