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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $637 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $876 in Lucknow.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 216% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.37 ₹228

405.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$11.62 ₹1,120

259.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.43 ₹331

213.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.50 ₹145

133.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.33 ₹32.06

339.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.13 ₹12.13

576.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.69 ₹163

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.49 ₹240

81.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.78 ₹75.7

83.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.52 ₹50.3

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.65 ₹62.8

141.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$0.99 ₹95.4

153.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.70 ₹357

123.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.71 ₹262

211.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.78 ₹172

46.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.65 ₹62.3

121.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.87 ₹83.5

125.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.56 ₹54.3

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.32 ₹31.24

478.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.45 ₹43.53

382.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.35 ₹33.50

194.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.34 ₹32.42

214.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.93 ₹379

4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.07 ₹778

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.64 ₹158

2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.83 ₹273

-10.60%

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

$5.78 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.49 ₹46.83

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.28 ₹992

153.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.14 ₹110

183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.42 ₹40.24

473.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.38 ₹133

134.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.21 ₹117

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$15.5K ₹1.5M

91.08%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$23.8K ₹2.3M

-0.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$43.20 ₹4,166

89.84%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$3.64 ₹351

530.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$7.64 ₹737

294.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.05 ₹2,126

135.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$8.81 ₹849

110.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.47 ₹334

43.52%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$56.6 ₹5,456

248.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,645 ₹158.6K

224.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$26.76 ₹2,581

33.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.48 ₹2,361

64.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$41.50 ₹4,002

89.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$25.11 ₹2,421

254.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$148 ₹14.3K

540.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$88.8 ₹8,564

433.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$356 ₹34.3K

362.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$210 ₹20.2K

477.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,152 ₹111.1K

252.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$527 ₹50.8K

1127.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$360 ₹34.7K

81.56%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $148 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 82% 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 $12.00 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 216% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $148 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 $12.00 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Lucknow – a 216% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $398 in Lucknow versus $1,256 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 216% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.