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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 in Lelydorp.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 in Lelydorp.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $603 in Lelydorp.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 543% more expensive than in Lelydorp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Lelydorp 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.85 SRD 182

141.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$35.50 SRD 1,334

18.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.04 SRD 227

74.01%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.29 SRD 48.36

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.43 SRD 16.14

113.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.02 SRD 75.8

46.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.05 SRD 115

44.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.19 SRD 44.73

17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.98 SRD 36.73

91.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.23 SRD 46.26

26.83%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.73 SRD 103

-4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.03 SRD 151

107.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.05 SRD 303

34.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.48 SRD 55.5

2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.98 SRD 36.79

89.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.03 SRD 38.64

116.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.88 SRD 33.11

23.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.02 SRD 76.1

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.49 SRD 18.40

10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.94 SRD 35.46

39.36%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$302 SRD 11.4K

123.76%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lelydorp: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 124% 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 $35.00 in Lelydorp for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $116 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 543% 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.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $196 in Lelydorp – a 543% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $196 in Lelydorp versus $1,260 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 $196 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 543% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.