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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Las Piedras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,077 in Las Piedras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,841 in Las Piedras, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Las Piedras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Las Piedras are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Las Piedras 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$18.64 $18.64

-37.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$84.4 $84.4

-44.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.06 $9.06

31.13%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.66 $3.66

8.74%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.85 $1.85

-22.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.43 $1.43

-42.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.92 $2.92

9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.02 $5.02

35.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.32 $2.32

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$3.61 $3.61

-39.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.35 $2.35

-27.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$7.35 $7.35

-62.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.50 $12.50

-23.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.36 $9.36

-3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.47 $13.47

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.91 $4.91

-41.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.58 $2.58

-41.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.76 $4.76

-54.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$4.77 $4.77

-52.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$3.82 $3.82

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$3.89 $3.89

-48.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$3.49 $3.49

-64.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.60 $1.60

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$11.82 $11.82

-61.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.58 $15.58

-33.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$3.08 $3.08

-47.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.94 $3.94

-26.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.55 $2.55

111.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.46 $1.46

155.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$42.21 $42.21

-86.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.76 $0.76

102.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$40.2K $40.2K

-43.96%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$28.4K $28.4K

-8.37%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$324 $324

-71.76%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$68.1 $68.1

-63.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$70.4 $70.4

-55.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$10.38 $10.38

-53.18%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$807 $807

-72.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$12.6K $12.6K

-66.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$55.2 $55.2

-14.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$62.2 $62.2

-28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$109 $109

-26.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$113 $113

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.55

74.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Las Piedras: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $84.0 in Las Piedras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $413 – 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 Piedras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Las Piedras is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,969 in Las Piedras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $84.0 in Las Piedras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Las Piedras, 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Las Piedras at $1,312. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Las Piedras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Las Piedras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.