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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $337 in Layyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $522 in Layyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $708 in Layyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 285% more than Layyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Layyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Layyah 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.82 PKR 505

544.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$10.80 PKR 3,004

285.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.49 PKR 972

204.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 PKR 771

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 PKR 1,331

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.45 PKR 402

142.76%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.33 PKR 92.4

357.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.24 PKR 66.9

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.48 PKR 134

187.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.34 PKR 94.1

455.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.25 PKR 348

31.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.08 PKR 301

132.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.91 PKR 1,645

41.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.35 PKR 653

254.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$3.03 PKR 842

254.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$0.72 PKR 201

261.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$0.36 PKR 101

305.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$0.67 PKR 186

183.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.49 PKR 136

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.35 PKR 97.4

408.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.54 PKR 151

305.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.63 PKR 177

65.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.34 PKR 93.8

217.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.04 PKR 288

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 194

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 561

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$1.90 PKR 528

114.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.20 PKR 56.4

155.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$7.05 PKR 1,962

275.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.09 PKR 302

199.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.40 PKR 112

522.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.79 PKR 498

81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.97 PKR 271

35.05%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$22.5K PKR 6.2M

34.84%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

9.60%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$57.9 PKR 16.1K

43.23%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.64 PKR 1,012

510.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$12.77 PKR 3,553

129.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$12.53 PKR 3,485

312.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.02 PKR 1,674

204.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$3.58 PKR 997

41.62%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$17.43 PKR 4,848

1052.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$523 PKR 145.6K

895.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$16.06 PKR 4,468

129.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.05 PKR 6,134

80.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$60.5 PKR 16.8K

29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$26.05 PKR 7,248

234.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

1183.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$51.8 PKR 14.4K

803.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$167 PKR 46.4K

884.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$104 PKR 29.0K

1069.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$874 PKR 243.1K

351.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$500 PKR 139.1K

1199.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-36.56%

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 Layyah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.8 in Layyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Layyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $76.0 – making Layyah 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 Layyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 285%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $505 in Layyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Layyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Layyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $337 in Layyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Layyah, where all-in costs run around $337, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Layyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Layyah – 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 Layyah. 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.