Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Les Escaldes Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Les Escaldes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,410 in Les Escaldes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,285 in Les Escaldes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,160 in Les Escaldes.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 10% less than in Les Escaldes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Les Escaldes is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$15.13 €13.04

-21.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.92 €28.36

30.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.86 €5.91

55.25%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.78 €1.53

-15.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.13 €0.97

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.60 €1.38

0.63%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.72 €1.48

50.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.89 €6.80

4.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.15 €0.99

-5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.86 €5.91

51.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$51.1 €44.06

-47.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.33 €2.01

34.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$40.81 €35.16

103.38%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$51.4 €44.27

-42.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$93.3 €80.3

-45.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$11.72 €10.10

56.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.53 €8.21

-48.27%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$106 €91.1

-65.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$58.1 €50.0

-31.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$80.3 €69.2

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$93.9 €80.9

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$932 €803

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$816 €703

-41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,220 €1,913

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,733 €1,493

-29.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$11.6K €9,970

-44.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,720 €2,343

-75.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Les Escaldes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $932 in Les Escaldes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Les Escaldes pays 308% 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 $33.00 in Les Escaldes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $64.0 per month, with Les Escaldes 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 Les Escaldes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Les Escaldes differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $1,410 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Les Escaldes earns 308% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $932 in Les Escaldes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Les Escaldes pay roughly 288% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,410 in Les Escaldes – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,410 in Les Escaldes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Les Escaldes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Les Escaldes 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Les Escaldes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.