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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $201 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $412 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $624 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 3% lower, Lelydorp 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.87 SRD 183

140.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$34.38 SRD 1,289

21.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.16 SRD 231

68.99%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.07

$1.23 SRD 46.07

18.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.43 SRD 16.26

125.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.04 SRD 76.3

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.6

$3.06 SRD 115

50.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.21 SRD 45.52

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.72

$0.98 SRD 36.73

93.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.96

$1.23 SRD 46.04

27.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.36

$2.74 SRD 103

-3.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.07 SRD 152

110.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.07 SRD 303

36.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.93

$1.53 SRD 57.2

-1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.95

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.39

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.27

$0.98 SRD 36.74

90.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.44

$1.02 SRD 38.25

118.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.88 SRD 33.14

21.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.96

$1.95 SRD 73.0

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.52 SRD 19.67

5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.88 SRD 33.01

50.00%

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

$30.2K MX$519.0K

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

$23.4K MX$402.7K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,230

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$298 SRD 11.2K

125.49%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 125% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Lelydorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 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 125% 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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $201 in Lelydorp – a 544% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $201 in Lelydorp versus $1,294 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 $201 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.