Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Marias Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Las Marias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,219 in Las Marias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,938 in Las Marias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,656 in Las Marias, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Las Marias, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Las Marias are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Las Marias 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$16.78 $16.78

-30.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$82.1 $82.1

-49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$9.80 $9.80

6.22%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.27 $3.27

10.40%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.79 $1.79

-18.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.39 $1.39

-30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.94 $2.94

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.91 $3.91

18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.41 $2.41

-40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.33 $3.33

-42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.28 $2.28

-31.14%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$5.84 $5.84

-54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.79 $8.79

-3.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$8.43 $8.43

1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$12.79 $12.79

-14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$5.91 $5.91

-54.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.65 $2.65

-43.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.84 $3.84

-50.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$3.94 $3.94

-44.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$3.96 $3.96

-52.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.97 $2.97

-24.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.97 $2.97

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.93 $1.93

-44.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$11.47 $11.47

-63.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.50 $2.50

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.12 $3.12

-18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.49 $1.49

65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$15.22 $15.22

-78.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.92 $0.92

43.48%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-15.80%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

-10.92%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$314 $314

-74.09%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$77.6 $77.6

-71.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$70.5 $70.5

-57.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$11.66 $11.66

-55.75%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$468 $468

-56.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$10.3K $10.3K

-48.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$45.76 $45.76

-22.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$57.1 $57.1

-29.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$92.3 $92.3

-14.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$104 $104

-16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,803 $1,803

-10.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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 Las Marias: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $82.0 in Las Marias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $349 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Las Marias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 6% more than Las Marias, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,829 in Las Marias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,219 in Las Marias. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $468 in Las Marias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Marias, where all-in costs run around $1,219, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Las Marias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Marias costs $1,219 versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Las Marias. 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.