🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,564 in Lomza.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,238 in Lomza.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,912 in Lomza.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 19% less than in Lomza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Lomza is 14% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$9.96zł 37.80
16.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$811
$48.24zł 183
-2.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$9.43zł 35.81
25.98%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.5
$3.83zł 14.55
3.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.57
$2.83zł 10.74
-49.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.20
$2.88zł 10.95
-71.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.9
$4.65zł 17.65
-31.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$5.34zł 20.26
27.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.85
$1.01zł 3.85
66.34%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.83
$1.10zł 4.16
100.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.41
$1.44zł 5.47
18.75%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.20
$3.56zł 13.51
-23.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$10.92zł 41.45
-12.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$7.34zł 27.87
22.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$12.39zł 47.05
3.39%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.74
$1.18zł 4.47
144.92%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.78
$1.69zł 6.42
-11.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.98
$2.42zł 9.18
-11.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.91
$3.12zł 11.85
-27.56%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.10
$0.86zł 3.27
130.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.26
$0.97zł 3.70
105.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.25
$1.38zł 5.24
-10.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.60
$0.62zł 2.35
93.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.3
$6.14zł 23.31
-25.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$6.77zł 25.71
53.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.88
$1.21zł 4.60
33.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.60
$1.74zł 6.60
65.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.34
$1.07zł 4.06
-43.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$496
$28.65zł 109
0.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.8
$1.63zł 6.19
230.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.2
$0.60zł 2.29
521.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.3
$9.33zł 35.42
-38.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.45
$1.62zł 6.16
-4.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.3K
$32.4Kzł 122.9K
-30.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$448.7K
$28.5Kzł 108.0K
-8.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,573
$325zł 1,234
-71.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$434
$8.83zł 33.51
185.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$538
$17.88zł 67.9
74.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,157
$37.32zł 142
80.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$501
$26.43zł 100
10.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.7
$8.05zł 30.56
-39.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,851
$530zł 2,012
-57.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.8K
$10.9Kzł 41.6K
-61.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$811
$76.1zł 289
-38.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$763
$42.42zł 161
4.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,379
$93.1zł 353
-13.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,596
$102zł 388
-9.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$633zł 2,405
67.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,719
$515zł 1,954
-24.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.0K
$1,017zł 3,859
111.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$873zł 3,315
45.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.9K
$2,755zł 10.5K
45.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.0K
$2,543zł 9,655
155.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lomza
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
6.87
66.67%
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 Lomza: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $633 in Lomza. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Lomza. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $230, with Lomza cheaper for home cooking.
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 Lomza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lomza cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $2,347 in Lomza 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Lomza?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $633 in Lomza. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 1% less than in Lomza. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $530 in Lomza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Lomza?
At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,564 in Lomza, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lomza. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Lomza more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lomza, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Lomza?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Lomza are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lomza. 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