Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lewisham

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $3,105 in Lewisham, rent and utilities included – about $22,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lewisham, United Kingdom
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Lewisham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,105
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Lewisham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Lewisham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,105 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Lewisham $3,105

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,989 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Lewisham $4,989

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,874 in Lewisham, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Lewisham $6,874

Playa del Carmen is about 61% cheaper than Lewisham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Lewisham is 130% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$200
$23.61 £17.55
-54.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$823
$79.2 £58.9
-44.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$221
$10.54 £7.83
11.86%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.1
$4.89 £3.64
-22.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.36
$1.97 £1.46
-34.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.65
$1.77 £1.32
-53.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.1
$6.37 £4.74
-50.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$6.09 £4.52
-19.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.46
$1.73 £1.29
-18.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.23
$1.91 £1.42
15.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.66
$2.14 £1.59
-31.31%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.89
$4.40 £3.27
-43.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$6.55 £4.87
11.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$149
$6.51 £4.84
22.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$12.15 £9.03
5.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.4
$4.45 £3.30
-34.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.98
$1.51 £1.12
-8.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.78
$1.92 £1.43
29.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.12
$3.41 £2.54
-40.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.03
$1.32 £0.98
53.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.74
$1.93 £1.44
-1.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.49
$0.80 £0.59
42.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.27
$1.48 £1.10
-16.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.2
$23.23 £17.27
-81.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$184
$11.23 £8.34
-12.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.78
$2.35 £1.75
-32.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.6
$1.90 £1.41
44.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.67
$3.08 £2.29
-83.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$514
$154 £114
-82.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.4
$6.82 £5.07
-30.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.0
$2.27 £1.69
43.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$30.20 £22.44
-82.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.70
$2.08 £1.55
-26.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$398.4K
$38.4K £28.5K
-44.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$436.9K
$40.1K £29.8K
-41.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,568
$406 £301
-79.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$435
$23.56 £17.51
-1.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$519
$43.77 £32.53
-36.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,060
$46.10 £34.26
22.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$529
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.9
$16.88 £12.54
-70.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,889
$808 £600
-74.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.2K
$22.9K £17.0K
-77.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$816
$156 £116
-72.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$799
$66.8 £49.66
-36.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,367
$136 £101
-46.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,660
$126 £93.3
-29.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$2,248 £1,671
-55.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,181
$1,538 £1,143
-75.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.4K
$2,038 £1,514
-17.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$3,636 £2,702
-70.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.4K
$5,203 £3,867
-24.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.3K
$3,908 £2,904
57.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lewisham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.6K
$3,206 £2,382
-74.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.54
106.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lewisham: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Lewisham
$1.5K 302% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Lewisham
$274 6.5% $17
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Lewisham
$338 68.9% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Lewisham
$473 252% $339
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Lewisham
$218 96.2% $107
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Lewisham
$80 20.2% $13
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Lewisham
$184 265% $134

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,248 in Lewisham. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lewisham are about 3.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $79 in Lewisham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $274 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇧 Lewisham
🕒 Local time
11:50 11:50 AM
16:50 4:50 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
96,224
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Lewisham 8,030 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Lewisham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lewisham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Lewisham?
Lewisham costs about 158% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Lewisham?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,658 in Lewisham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Lewisham?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $2,248 in Lewisham.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Lewisham?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Lewisham, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lewisham?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $79 in Lewisham. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Lewisham?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Lewisham at $3,105. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lewisham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Lewisham?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lewisham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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