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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $415 in Layyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Layyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in Layyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 212% 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 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$1.82 PKR 505

543.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$10.95 PKR 3,039

325.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.42 PKR 1,502

114.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PKR 717

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 606

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.45 PKR 402

182.07%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.43 PKR 119

218.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.32 PKR 89.1

159.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.84 PKR 234

105.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.65 PKR 180

247.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.22 PKR 337

45.08%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.24 PKR 345

120.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.63 PKR 2,395

6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.65 PKR 734

236.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$3.89 PKR 1,079

223.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.04 PKR 289

190.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$0.63 PKR 174

149.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$0.57 PKR 159

273.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.50 PKR 139

352.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.29 PKR 80.1

589.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.53 PKR 147

288.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.49 PKR 137

140.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.40 PKR 110

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 PKR 157

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 193

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.36 PKR 655

96.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.21 PKR 57.3

171.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$10.52 PKR 2,918

183.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.10 PKR 306

395.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.09 PKR 303

239.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.83 PKR 786

111.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.15 PKR 320

34.78%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$23.2K PKR 6.4M

-3.56%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

12.83%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$66.7 PKR 18.5K

33.57%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$5.43 PKR 1,507

361.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$11.91 PKR 3,303

164.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$15.43 PKR 4,280

339.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.30 PKR 2,025

-30.82%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$26.60 PKR 7,379

745.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$2,050 PKR 568.6K

106.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$18.78 PKR 5,211

152.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$26.13 PKR 7,249

72.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

52.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$29.20 PKR 8,100

215.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$126 PKR 34.9K

749.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

494.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$268 PKR 74.4K

621.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$165 PKR 45.9K

687.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$897 PKR 248.7K

345.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$469 PKR 130.1K

1312.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.83

-3.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Layyah: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Layyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $98.0 – 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 212%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $622 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 $47.00 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $415 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 $415, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.