Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Larissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $1,514 in Larissa, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Larissa outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Larissa
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,514
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Larissa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Larissa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,514 in Larissa.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,215
  • Larissa $1,514

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,254 in Larissa.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,144
  • Larissa $2,254

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,994 in Larissa.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,072
  • Larissa $2,994

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 20% less than in Larissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 9% below, Larissa is 13% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97 MX$201
$12.48 €11.14
-12.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85 MX$823
$67.7 €60.4
-33.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 MX$219
$10.24 €9.14
16.41%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$69.9
$4.11 €3.66
-7.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.08
$2.37 €2.12
-44.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 MX$15.72
$0.57 €0.51
50.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$59.0
$5.72 €5.10
-43.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 MX$92.0
$5.55 €4.95
-9.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.77
$1.55 €1.38
-5.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$42.72
$1.54 €1.38
51.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.48
$2.08 €1.86
-30.77%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$45.20
$4.12 €3.68
-40.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 MX$141
$13.93 €12.43
-44.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 MX$145
$9.95 €8.88
-20.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 MX$235
$13.79 €12.31
-7.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 MX$53.6
$2.29 €2.04
27.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.11
$1.82 €1.62
-21.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 MX$47.10
$1.08 €0.96
137.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.24
$1.89 €1.69
13.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.75
$1.05 €0.93
85.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.55
$1.17 €1.04
65.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.13
$0.92 €0.82
25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.42
$0.47 €0.42
159.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.3
$5.07 €4.53
-13.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 MX$181
$6.57 €5.86
49.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.23
$1.75 €1.56
-12.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 MX$49.86
$2.29 €2.05
18.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.64
$1.38 €1.23
-62.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.42 MX$503
$55.1 €49.20
-50.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 MX$90.2
$6.15 €5.49
-20.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.52 MX$64.7
$1.10 €0.98
220.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 MX$104
$13.15 €11.74
-56.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.27
$2.01 €1.79
-23.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$389.9K
$33.4K €29.8K
-36.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$449.6K
$26.6K €23.7K
-7.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 MX$1,535
$347 €309
-75.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03 MX$441
$22.59 €20.16
6.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33 MX$539
$29.43 €26.26
-0.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 MX$1,191
$45.46 €40.57
42.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46 MX$541
$22.03 €19.66
33.73%
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 MX$93.4
$9.42 €8.41
-45.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,813
$437 €390
-52.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,045 MX$74.3K
$7,755 €6,920
-47.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 MX$818
$87.6 €78.2
-49.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 MX$772
$31.64 €28.23
32.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 MX$1,387
$111 €99.3
-32.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,678
$132 €118
-30.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 MX$18.1K
$392 €349
151.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 MX$7,072
$293 €261
31.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 MX$31.5K
$771 €688
122.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 MX$20.4K
$515 €459
115.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 MX$73.7K
$2,027 €1,809
98.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,247 MX$114.7K
$1,519 €1,356
311.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Larissa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.9K
$1,156 €1,032
-34.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.45
157.30%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Larissa: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$385
Larissa
$293 24% $92
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$260
Larissa
$266 2.2% $5.7
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$204
Larissa
$231 13.4% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Larissa
$399 191% $262
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$114
Larissa
$163 42.9% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$75
Larissa
$64 14.3% $11
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Larissa
$72 38.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Playa del Carmen and $392 in Larissa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Larissa pays 53% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Larissa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $266 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇷 Larissa
🕒 Local time
05:33 5:33 AM
13:33 1:33 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
144,651
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Larissa 10,110 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Larissa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Larissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Larissa cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Larissa?
On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Larissa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Larissa?
Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Larissa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 101% less than in Larissa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Larissa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Larissa?
At $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,514 in Larissa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Larissa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Larissa more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Larissa, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Larissa?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Larissa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Larissa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?