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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $332 in Layyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $511 in Layyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $690 in Layyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 279% more than Layyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Layyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Layyah 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.82 PKR 505

558.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$10.69 PKR 2,968

290.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.49 PKR 968

208.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 PKR 778

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 PKR 1,320

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.52 PKR 423

130.26%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.31 PKR 85.3

367.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.22 PKR 61.0

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.48 PKR 133

197.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.34 PKR 93.7

441.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.21 PKR 336

29.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.08 PKR 300

132.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.91 PKR 1,641

40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.36 PKR 655

257.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$3.03 PKR 841

252.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$0.69 PKR 191

278.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.34 PKR 94.3

323.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.67 PKR 186

192.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.49 PKR 136

326.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.35 PKR 96.8

428.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.55 PKR 151

294.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.59 PKR 164

74.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.34 PKR 93.6

214.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 PKR 279

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 206

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 561

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.90 PKR 528

115.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.17 PKR 47.42

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$6.91 PKR 1,918

276.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.09 PKR 303

196.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.40 PKR 111

502.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.82 PKR 506

77.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.97 PKR 269

36.08%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

33.56%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

10.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$58.9 PKR 16.3K

39.35%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$3.65 PKR 1,012

528.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$12.69 PKR 3,524

137.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$12.44 PKR 3,453

317.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.00 PKR 1,667

208.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.46 PKR 961

43.93%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$17.34 PKR 4,814

1038.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$532 PKR 147.7K

903.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$16.46 PKR 4,570

116.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$22.37 PKR 6,211

80.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$59.6 PKR 16.6K

32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$25.89 PKR 7,188

243.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

1150.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

818.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$170 PKR 47.1K

868.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$107 PKR 29.7K

1030.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$777 PKR 215.7K

422.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$455 PKR 126.2K

1323.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Layyah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.7 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 $75.0 – 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 279%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $497 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $332 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 $332, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.