🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,049 in Levanto.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,115 in Levanto.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,182 in Levanto.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 36% less than in Levanto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Levanto is 49% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96MX$203
$25.59€22.07
-53.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38MX$805
$82.1€70.8
-42.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.75MX$200
$10.31€8.89
13.97%
Cappuccino
$4.12MX$70.1
$1.76€1.52
134.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$23.78
$3.66€3.15
-61.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.50
$1.70€1.47
-46.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$54.5
$5.95€5.13
-46.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07MX$120
$5.68€4.90
24.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.49
$1.52€1.31
10.53%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15MX$36.53
$3.25€2.80
-33.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.14
$3.06€2.64
-42.16%
Eggs
$2.82MX$47.83
$3.41€2.94
-17.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20MX$156
$33.15€28.59
-72.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23MX$157
$11.17€9.63
-17.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.64MX$215
$35.66€30.75
-64.55%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95MX$50.1
$2.56€2.21
15.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58MX$26.83
$1.93€1.66
-18.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22MX$37.76
$3.55€3.06
-37.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.15
$3.52€3.03
-32.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.86
$2.10€1.81
-5.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.63
$3.05€2.63
-35.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.07
$2.08€1.80
-40.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MX$20.58
$0.79€0.68
53.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60MX$78.2
$7.24€6.25
-36.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.52MX$179
$5.73€4.94
83.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MX$28.74
$1.88€1.63
-10.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.13
$2.27€1.95
22.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.24
$1.69€1.46
-64.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.70MX$505
$43.31€37.34
-31.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24MX$89.0
$4.65€4.01
12.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.65MX$62.0
$1.32€1.14
176.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$98.3
$35.77€30.85
-83.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.13
$2.10€1.81
-26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$387.4K
$37.3K€32.1K
-38.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KMX$438.5K
$37.2K€32.1K
-30.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.7MX$1,540
$280€241
-67.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19MX$428
$10.61€9.15
137.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75MX$539
$30.42€26.23
4.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,169
$59.3€51.1
16.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37MX$499
$25.87€22.30
13.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$82.6
$13.38€11.54
-63.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226MX$3,834
$577€498
-60.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,194MX$71.2K
$10.5K€9,089
-60.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38MX$805
$131€113
-63.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MX$738
$58.4€50.3
-25.55%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2MX$1,363
$89.1€76.9
-10.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,552
$128€110
-28.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,086MX$18.4K
$742€640
46.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$409MX$6,943
$603€520
-32.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,972MX$33.5K
$1,188€1,024
66.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281MX$21.8K
$919€793
39.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,046MX$68.7K
$3,046€2,626
32.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,704MX$113.9K
$2,097€1,808
219.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Levanto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
3.62
216.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Last update for Levanto: September 5, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $742 in Levanto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Levanto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $448 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Levanto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Levanto?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Levanto. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Levanto?
You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $3,073 in Levanto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Levanto?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $742 in Levanto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Levanto?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $82.0 in Levanto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Levanto?
All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,049 in Levanto – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Levanto?
At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,049 in Levanto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Levanto. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Levanto?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Levanto?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Levanto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Levanto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared