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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,653 in Lousã, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,447 in Lousã, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,241 in Lousã, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Lousã, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Lousã is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$13.75 €11.92

-15.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$49.03 €42.49

-3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$9.05 €7.84

31.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.15 €1.87

85.12%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$2.09 €1.81

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$1.54 €1.33

-46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.26 €1.96

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$2.96 €2.56

129.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.09 €0.94

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$1.62 €1.41

35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.83 €1.58

-6.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.99 €2.59

-8.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.95 €10.35

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$7.59 €6.58

18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$15.09 €13.08

-15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.03 €1.76

42.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.62 €1.41

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.86 €1.61

15.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$2.50 €2.17

-9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$1.63 €1.41

21.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$2.02 €1.75

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$1.58 €1.37

-22.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.75 €0.65

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$6.50 €5.63

-30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$4.59 €3.97

125.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$1.35 €1.17

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$2.24 €1.94

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$2.60 €2.25

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$42.68 €36.98

-32.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$4.44 €3.85

21.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.48 €1.28

152.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$14.34 €12.42

-59.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$2.14 €1.85

-28.04%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$35.1K €30.4K

-35.69%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$38.8K €33.6K

-32.81%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$107 €93.1

-14.95%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$18.23 €15.80

38.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$34.21 €29.65

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

$40.71 €35.28

65.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$19.50 €16.90

49.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$8.47 €7.34

-42.62%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$468 €406

-52.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$6,468 €5,605

-34.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$99.0 €85.8

-52.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$37.13 €32.18

19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$79.5 €68.9

0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$106 €91.6

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$1,009 €874

5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

$776 €672

-49.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$1,567 €1,358

37.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,220 €1,058

4.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$2,854 €2,473

40.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$2,382 €2,064

173.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.7

209.46%

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 Lousã: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,009 in Lousã. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Lousã. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $250 in Lousã – so Lousã wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lousã: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,653 in Lousã – roughly 31% apart. Lousã costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,480 in Lousã. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $49.00 in Lousã. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,653 in Lousã. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Lousã at $1,653. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lousã 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,653 in Lousã. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lousã makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.