😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,016 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,547 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,079 in Lezhe, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 25% 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, Lezhe24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$5.19ALL 424
128.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$35.80ALL 2,925
19.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$3.47ALL 284
206.92%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$0.92ALL 74.8
275.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.43ALL 117
4.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.72ALL 58.9
31.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$1.38ALL 113
119.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$2.39ALL 195
92.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$2.03ALL 166
-32.02%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$0.92ALL 74.9
101.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.01ALL 165
-19.90%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.06ALL 250
-15.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$9.88ALL 807
-16.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$7.95ALL 649
5.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$13.47ALL 1,100
-20.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.81ALL 148
45.30%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$2.38ALL 195
-37.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.66ALL 136
15.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$1.32ALL 108
58.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.01ALL 82.3
84.16%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.17ALL 96.0
93.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.10ALL 89.6
-3.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.77ALL 63.0
41.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$3.96ALL 324
4.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$9.81ALL 801
5.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.68ALL 137
2.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.82ALL 149
43.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.49ALL 39.86
10.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$19.16ALL 1,565
40.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$3.40ALL 278
-7.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$3.07ALL 251
-18.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$17.33ALL 1,416
-81.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$2.11ALL 173
-39.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$34.7KALL 2.8M
-12.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$25.7KALL 2.1M
-8.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$66.4ALL 5,422
25.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$17.51ALL 1,430
29.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$16.15ALL 1,320
82.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$55.5ALL 4,535
-8.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$25.68ALL 2,098
-28.62%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$8.31ALL 679
-40.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$175ALL 14.3K
13.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$46.31ALL 3,784
-20.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$53.2ALL 4,346
-25.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$93.2ALL 7,612
-14.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$143ALL 11.7K
-37.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$445ALL 36.4K
114.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$344ALL 28.1K
38.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$621ALL 50.8K
164.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$435ALL 35.5K
181.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$2,009ALL 164.2K
94.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$1,462ALL 119.4K
341.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lezhe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$609ALL 49.8K
9.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
4
185.50%
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 Lezhe: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 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 10% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Lezhe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $247 – 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 Lezhe compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,016 in Lezhe – roughly 25% 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,524 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 1% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $36.00 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 $1,016, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,016 in Lezhe to $1,271 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