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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $736 in Loja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,104 in Loja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,472 in Loja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Loja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Loja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Loja 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.94 $2.94

298.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$20.26 $20.26

106.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.15 $7.15

46.99%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.78 $1.78

101.69%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.63 $0.63

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.45 $0.45

104.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.97 $0.97

205.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.94 $1.94

127.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.02 $1.02

37.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.35 $1.35

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.51 $1.51

3.31%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.98 $1.98

31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.40 $5.40

54.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.51 $4.51

85.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.98 $5.98

81.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.37 $1.37

97.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.93 $0.93

62.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.01 $1.01

85.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.06 $1.06

106.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.78 $0.78

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.84 $0.84

165.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.50 $0.50

114.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.07 $1.07

1.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.84 $5.84

-28.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.98 $6.98

49.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.43 $1.43

16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.86 $2.86

-8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.29 $0.29

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$40.69 $40.69

-35.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.67 $0.67

359.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.03 $1.03

133.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.61 $13.61

-77.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.68 $0.68

92.65%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$15.0K $15.0K

98.06%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$28.3K $28.3K

-17.72%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$20.11 $20.11

304.18%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.58 $10.58

113.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.51 $28.51

5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$33.96 $33.96

55.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$14.07 $14.07

30.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.34 $7.34

-32.97%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$182 $182

10.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,030 $2,030

154.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$57.0 $57.0

-37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$49.75 $49.75

-19.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$85.3 $85.3

-6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$66.0 $66.0

30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$286 $286

241.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$231 $231

103.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$430 $430

284.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$330 $330

265.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$546 $546

623.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$331 $331

1894.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$490 $490

38.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Loja: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 in Loja. 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 38% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Loja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $162 – making Loja 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 Loja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $736 in Loja – roughly 71% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,104 in Loja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Loja, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Loja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $182 in Loja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Loja, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Loja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $736 in Loja to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Loja. 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.