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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,471 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,488 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,506 in London.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, London is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$18.58 CA$25.46

-35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$72.9 CA$99.9

-41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.27 CA$14.07

3.12%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.58 CA$4.91

1.12%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.90 CA$2.60

-22.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.86 CA$2.55

-49.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.93 CA$8.13

-47.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.79 CA$9.30

-34.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 CA$2.32

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.39 CA$3.28

-21.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.37 CA$4.61

-51.63%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.38 CA$4.63

-21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.81 CA$13.44

-16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$12.18 CA$16.69

-31.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.03 CA$12.38

22.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.48 CA$6.14

-40.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.37 CA$1.87

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.61 CA$4.94

-44.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.86 CA$5.29

-46.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.69 CA$2.32

5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.05 CA$2.81

6.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.11 CA$2.89

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.43 CA$1.96

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$12.47 CA$17.08

-68.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$13.28 CA$18.20

-23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.15 CA$2.95

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.58 CA$3.53

-3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.34 CA$3.21

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$81.9 CA$112

-67.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$4.09 CA$5.61

-23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.75 CA$2.40

37.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$31.05 CA$42.54

-90.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.11 CA$1.53

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$25.3K CA$34.7K

22.08%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.4K CA$27.9K

14.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$143 CA$196

-42.69%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$46.69 CA$64.0

-51.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$58.4 CA$80.0

-49.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.26 CA$57.9

22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$7.32 CA$10.03

155.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.02 CA$15.10

-54.90%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$554 CA$759

-64.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$14.2K CA$19.5K

-62.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$55.3 CA$75.7

-34.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$46.60 CA$63.8

-14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$85.6 CA$117

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$80.9 CA$111

9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,457 CA$1,997

-33.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,308 CA$1,792

-64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$2,574 CA$3,526

-37.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,999 CA$2,739

-39.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,587 CA$4,915

9.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,702 CA$5,071

74.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,024 CA$4,142

-76.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.21

83.90%

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 London: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,457 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 320% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $73.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $327 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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, London earns 320% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,457 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,471 in London – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 204% less than in London. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,471 in London, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.