Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Larissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Larissa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,513 in Larissa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,219 in Larissa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,926 in Larissa.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 14% less than in Larissa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Larissa is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$13.39 €11.69

-12.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$57.3 €49.97

-27.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$9.44 €8.23

10.28%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.11 €3.59

-12.17%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$1.63 €1.42

-10.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.60 €0.52

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$5.91 €5.15

-50.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$5.72 €4.99

-19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.52 €1.33

-5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$1.56 €1.36

21.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$2.21 €1.93

-28.96%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$4.03 €3.51

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$13.89 €12.12

-39.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$9.78 €8.53

-12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$12.97 €11.31

-15.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$2.26 €1.97

19.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.92 €1.67

-21.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$1.13 €0.98

69.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$2.01 €1.75

7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.13 €0.98

65.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.28 €1.11

74.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.00 €0.87

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.49 €0.43

118.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$5.18 €4.52

-19.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$6.80 €5.94

51.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.66 €1.45

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.43 €2.12

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$1.42 €1.24

-61.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$46.49 €40.56

-43.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$7.11 €6.20

-54.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$13.54 €11.81

-76.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$2.07 €1.81

-36.23%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$34.3K €29.9K

-12.12%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$29.3K €25.6K

-20.17%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$349 €304

-76.69%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$24.13 €21.05

-7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$31.01 €27.06

-3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$44.27 €38.62

16.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$26.41 €23.04

-30.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$9.93 €8.66

-48.04%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$515 €450

-60.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$5,457 €4,761

-2.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$111 €97.2

-68.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$38.67 €33.74

4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$98.5 €85.9

-20.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$96.7 €84.4

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$397 €346

139.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$296 €258

61.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$617 €538

162.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$519 €453

135.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$2,090 €1,824

91.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,574 €1,373

311.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$1,213 €1,059

-44.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.34

163.13%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Larissa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $397 in Larissa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Larissa pays 80% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $57.0 in Larissa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $265 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 80% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $397 in Larissa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 77% less than in Larissa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $515 in Larissa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,513 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Larissa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.