🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,713 in Lizzano.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,630 in Lizzano.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,547 in Lizzano.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 26% less than in Lizzano, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Lizzano is 25% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$199
$17.67€15.29
-34.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$807
$69.8€60.4
-32.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$204
$11.75€10.17
1.11%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.1
$2.05€1.78
94.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.45
$2.58€2.24
-44.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.13
$1.29€1.11
-36.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.6
$4.15€3.60
-23.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$116
$3.39€2.94
100.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.71
$1.62€1.40
3.70%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.64
$1.76€1.52
25.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.27
$2.98€2.58
-42.62%
Eggs
$2.74MX$46.96
$4.13€3.58
-33.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$164
$16.07€13.91
-40.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$154
$11.08€9.59
-18.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$219
$16.81€14.55
-23.80%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.49
$2.41€2.09
19.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.65
$2.17€1.88
-30.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.80
$2.12€1.84
1.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.71
$3.69€3.20
-38.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.93
$1.78€1.54
11.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.09
$1.60€1.39
24.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.15
$1.33€1.15
-7.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.50
$0.39€0.34
207.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.0
$7.11€6.15
-36.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$178
$7.36€6.37
40.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.74
$1.97€1.71
-17.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.35
$2.48€2.15
16.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.29
$1.49€1.29
-59.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$493
$44.63€38.64
-35.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.3
$5.92€5.12
-8.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$63.9
$2.26€1.96
65.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$98.9
$24.52€21.23
-76.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.32
$2.10€1.82
-26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$386.3K
$37.1K€32.2K
-39.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$446.5K
$36.5K€31.6K
-28.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,566
$240€208
-61.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$432
$11.81€10.23
113.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$535
$32.22€27.89
-3.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,151
$51.6€44.66
30.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$499
$27.06€23.43
7.58%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.3
$8.50€7.36
-42.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,832
$784€679
-71.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.5K
$5,805€5,026
-27.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$807
$86.4€74.8
-45.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$759
$49.64€42.97
-10.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,373
$112€97.2
-28.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,588
$147€127
-36.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.2K
$832€720
27.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,686
$636€550
-38.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$36.8K
$1,343€1,163
60.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.8K
$1,010€874
25.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.6K
$3,076€2,663
30.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$111.4K
$2,011€1,741
223.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lizzano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
3.92
192.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Lizzano: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $832 in Lizzano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $70.0 in Lizzano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $316 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 Lizzano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Lizzano?
Playa del Carmen and Lizzano differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $1,713 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Lizzano?
You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $2,570 in Lizzano 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 do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lizzano?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 in Lizzano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Lizzano?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 55% less than in Lizzano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Lizzano?
Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $784 in Lizzano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,713 in Lizzano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lizzano. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Lizzano?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Lizzano safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Lizzano are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Lizzano?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Lizzano. 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