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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $200 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $411 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Lelydorp.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 544% more expensive than Lelydorp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Lelydorp 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.01 SRD 188

138.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$35.63 SRD 1,335

19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.17 SRD 231

71.64%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.22 SRD 45.60

20.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.46 SRD 17.28

104.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.02 SRD 75.6

52.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.05 SRD 114

46.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.21 SRD 45.47

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.99 SRD 37.00

89.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.19 SRD 44.51

36.97%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.86 SRD 107

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.98 SRD 149

108.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.17 SRD 306

35.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.52 SRD 56.8

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.98 SRD 36.70

82.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.98 SRD 36.62

122.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.84 SRD 31.32

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.06 SRD 77.1

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.48 SRD 18.13

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.87 SRD 32.50

45.98%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$295 SRD 11.0K

144.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-32.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 144% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in Lelydorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $117 per month, with Lelydorp cheaper across the board.

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 Lelydorp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lelydorp wins on cost – living expenses run 544% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lelydorp the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 144% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $200 in Lelydorp – a 544% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $200 in Lelydorp versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lelydorp but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lelydorp the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lelydorp delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $200 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lelydorp hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Lelydorp are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lelydorp gentler on the wallet – expenses run 544% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.