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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $362 in Les Escaldes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,869 in Les Escaldes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,377 in Les Escaldes.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 249% more expensive than in Les Escaldes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Les Escaldes 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$15.18 €13.24

-23.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$40.76 €35.53

15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.73 €11.97

-13.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.63 €2.29

51.33%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.57 €2.24

-44.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.75 €1.52

-53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.14 €2.74

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.25 €2.83

108.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.16 €1.89

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.32 €3.77

-36.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.22 €15.01

-25.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.03 €3.51

-28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.84 €5.09

-22.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.95 €6.05

49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.35 €2.05

-74.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.80 €1.57

-14.44%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,843 €2,479

-24.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,351 €2,049

-45.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$11.5K €9,985

-43.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,753 €2,399

-72.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Les Escaldes: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Les Escaldes pays 263% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $41.00 in Les Escaldes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $125 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 249% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $362 including rent). Les Escaldes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 263% lower in Les Escaldes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Les Escaldes – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $362 in Les Escaldes – a 249% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $362 in Les Escaldes versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Les Escaldes but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Les Escaldes 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 Les Escaldes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.