😐A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,088 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,626 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,164 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Lezhe, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Lezhe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Lezhe21% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96MX$203
$5.57ALL 440
114.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38MX$805
$37.06ALL 2,927
27.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.75MX$200
$3.69ALL 291
218.43%
Cappuccino
$4.12MX$70.1
$0.99ALL 78.3
316.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$23.78
$1.49ALL 118
-6.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.50
$0.69ALL 54.7
31.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$54.5
$1.47ALL 116
118.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07MX$120
$2.54ALL 200
178.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.49
$1.99ALL 157
-15.58%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15MX$36.53
$0.94ALL 74.0
128.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.14
$2.06ALL 162
-14.08%
Eggs
$2.82MX$47.83
$2.74ALL 216
2.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20MX$156
$10.31ALL 815
-10.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23MX$157
$8.48ALL 670
8.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.64MX$215
$14.50ALL 1,146
-12.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95MX$50.1
$2.00ALL 158
47.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58MX$26.83
$2.36ALL 186
-33.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22MX$37.76
$1.75ALL 139
26.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.15
$1.63ALL 128
44.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.86
$1.08ALL 85.3
84.26%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.63
$1.26ALL 99.5
57.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.07
$1.17ALL 92.1
5.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MX$20.58
$0.80ALL 63.6
51.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60MX$78.2
$4.41ALL 349
4.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.52MX$179
$10.13ALL 800
3.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MX$28.74
$1.79ALL 141
-5.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.13
$1.84ALL 146
50.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.24
$0.48ALL 38.16
25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.70MX$505
$20.41ALL 1,612
45.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24MX$89.0
$3.66ALL 289
43.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.65MX$62.0
$3.81ALL 301
-4.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$98.3
$18.93ALL 1,495
-69.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.13
$2.21ALL 174
-30.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$387.4K
$34.3KALL 2.7M
-33.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KMX$438.5K
$25.2KALL 2.0M
2.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.7MX$1,540
$61.7ALL 4,875
46.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19MX$428
$16.44ALL 1,298
53.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75MX$539
$17.63ALL 1,392
80.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,169
$57.8ALL 4,568
18.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37MX$499
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$82.6
$8.93ALL 706
-45.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226MX$3,834
$186ALL 14.7K
21.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,194MX$71.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38MX$805
$49.47ALL 3,907
-4.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MX$738
$57.1ALL 4,508
-23.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2MX$1,363
$99.6ALL 7,867
-19.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,552
$152ALL 12.0K
-39.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,086MX$18.4K
$493ALL 38.9K
120.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$409MX$6,943
$337ALL 26.6K
21.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,972MX$33.5K
$724ALL 57.2K
172.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281MX$21.8K
$484ALL 38.2K
164.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,046MX$68.7K
$1,871ALL 147.8K
116.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,704MX$113.9K
$1,278ALL 101.0K
424.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$13.1K
$633ALL 50.0K
22.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
5
129.00%
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 Lezhe: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $493 in Lezhe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 22% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Lezhe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $258 – making Lezhe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Lezhe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Lezhe compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,088 in Lezhe – roughly 20% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Lezhe?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,632 in Lezhe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Lezhe?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lezhe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $37.00 in Lezhe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lezhe, where all-in costs run around $1,088, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Lezhe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Lezhe?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,088 in Lezhe to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Lezhe?
If budget matters most, go with Lezhe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared