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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $641 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $881 in Lucknow.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 224% more expensive than Lucknow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.39 ₹228

390.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$11.44 ₹1,095

263.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.54 ₹339

200.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.50 ₹143

134.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.34 ₹32.07

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.13 ₹12.37

646.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.79 ₹171

64.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.54 ₹244

75.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.78 ₹74.7

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.49 ₹46.76

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.71 ₹68.0

130.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.04 ₹99.1

141.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.68 ₹352

126.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.76 ₹264

202.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.75 ₹167

48.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.66 ₹63.2

121.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.88 ₹84.3

115.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.56 ₹54.0

271.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.35 ₹33.95

408.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.49 ₹47.06

346.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.37 ₹35.82

181.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.36 ₹34.78

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.78 ₹362

7.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.76 ₹743

32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.64 ₹157

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.85 ₹273

-9.47%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.51 ₹527

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.49 ₹46.67

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.42 ₹997

153.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.15 ₹110

183.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.38 ₹36.73

555.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.39 ₹133

133.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.17 ₹112

11.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$15.6K ₹1.5M

93.75%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$23.6K ₹2.3M

-0.61%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$44.86 ₹4,293

84.73%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$3.65 ₹349

508.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$7.52 ₹719

290.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$22.11 ₹2,116

133.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.33 ₹893

96.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.55 ₹339

42.82%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$57.1 ₹5,461

251.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,631 ₹156.1K

219.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$26.33 ₹2,519

40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$24.82 ₹2,375

60.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$41.55 ₹3,976

88.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$25.31 ₹2,422

244.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$147 ₹14.1K

560.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$85.9 ₹8,219

444.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$346 ₹33.1K

374.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$210 ₹20.1K

481.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,183 ₹113.2K

233.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$535 ₹51.2K

1114.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$369 ₹35.3K

79.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.72

30.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $147 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 80% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $101 per month, with Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucknow is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 224% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 80% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $147 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $400 in Lucknow – a 224% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $400 in Lucknow versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lucknow but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lucknow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 224% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.