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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $675 in Loja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in Loja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,448 in Loja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Loja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Loja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Loja 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.93 $2.93

295.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$20.58 $20.58

128.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.62 $5.62

111.39%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.24 $2.24

77.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.77 $0.77

85.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.46 $0.46

78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.22 $1.22

161.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.05 $3.05

122.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.01 $1.01

66.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.53 $1.53

43.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.26 $1.26

35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.93 $1.93

41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.90 $5.90

62.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.20 $4.20

114.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.83 $5.83

119.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.71 $1.71

69.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.10 $1.10

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.19 $1.19

80.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.08 $1.08

109.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.06 $1.06

86.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.05 $1.05

89.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.52 $0.52

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.16 $1.16

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.30 $5.30

-14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.21 $7.21

43.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.51 $1.51

7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.17 $3.17

-9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.31 $0.31

93.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$29.55 $29.55

-2.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.22 $1.22

341.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.08 $1.08

245.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.88 $9.88

-41.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.68 $0.68

126.47%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$14.9K $14.9K

51.23%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.9K $28.9K

-9.78%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$20.20 $20.20

352.38%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$11.71 $11.71

115.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$25.47 $25.47

22.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$29.67 $29.67

126.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$14.57 $14.57

99.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.54 $7.54

-35.54%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$180 $180

23.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,033 $2,033

107.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$52.7 $52.7

-10.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.83 $47.83

-7.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$79.6 $79.6

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$71.5 $71.5

29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$241 $241

340.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$175 $175

122.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$378 $378

467.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$309 $309

311.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$554 $554

622.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$330 $330

1872.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$500 $500

51.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.5

34.71%

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 Loja: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 52% 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 $21.00 in Loja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $169 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $675 in Loja – roughly 88% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,012 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 3% less in Loja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $180 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 $675, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $675 in Loja to $1,266 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.