Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lira Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $428 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $687 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $945 in Lira, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 200% more than Lira, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Lira 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

317.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$26.67 UGX 98.9K

60.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

22.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

33.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.27 UGX 997

444.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 UGX 992

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.86 UGX 3,174

259.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.70 UGX 2,586

104.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.24 UGX 4,613

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.39 UGX 5,162

17.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.75 UGX 6,505

50.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.41 UGX 16.4K

86.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.07 UGX 18.8K

63.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

167.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.54 UGX 5,714

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.74 UGX 6,469

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.55 UGX 5,731

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.57 UGX 5,820

14.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.87 UGX 6,922

16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.03 UGX 3,815

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.58 UGX 2,137

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.94 UGX 10.9K

35.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.62 UGX 35.7K

6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.20 UGX 4,446

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.12 UGX 7,873

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.55 UGX 2,023

470.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.28 UGX 1,040

757.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.08 UGX 15.1K

-24.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.51 UGX 5,606

-15.89%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$9,008 UGX 33.4M

242.81%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$8,897 UGX 33.0M

162.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$42.65 UGX 158.1K

92.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$14.12 UGX 52.3K

58.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$43.11 UGX 159.8K

-31.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.34 UGX 23.5K

-21.61%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$158 UGX 586.3K

25.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

22.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$16.72 UGX 62.0K

117.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$14.35 UGX 53.2K

179.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$38.74 UGX 143.7K

106.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$47.14 UGX 174.8K

88.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.8

-45.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lira: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $170 – making Lira 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 Lira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 200%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $643 in Lira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $428 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $158 in Lira. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lira, where all-in costs run around $428, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Lira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Lira. 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.