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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $592 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $797 in Lucknow.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 238% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.89 ₹181

532.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$10.38 ₹992

356.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.11 ₹297

277.81%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.59 ₹152

159.12%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.37 ₹35.65

278.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.12 ₹11.26

658.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.64 ₹156

95.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.38 ₹228

197.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.74 ₹71.1

127.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.45 ₹42.90

377.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.59 ₹56.8

200.00%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.01 ₹96.9

179.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.67 ₹351

150.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.59 ₹247

256.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.71 ₹163

72.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.63 ₹59.9

150.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.93 ₹89.1

138.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.51 ₹48.53

362.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.30 ₹28.38

563.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.45 ₹42.56

340.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.45 ₹43.12

175.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.32 ₹30.78

278.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.07 ₹484

-9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.62 ₹823

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.66 ₹159

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.58 ₹246

7.36%

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

$5.72 ₹546

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.44 ₹41.85

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$5.21 ₹498

470.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.92 ₹88.1

469.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.22 ₹21.03

1559.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.19 ₹114

385.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.12 ₹107

37.50%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$12.5K ₹1.2M

82.90%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$22.1K ₹2.1M

17.05%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$53.2 ₹5,080

70.53%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$3.66 ₹350

588.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$8.78 ₹839

261.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$15.75 ₹1,505

336.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.97 ₹666

321.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.26 ₹311

49.08%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$39.71 ₹3,794

468.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

316.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$23.50 ₹2,246

101.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$24.67 ₹2,357

76.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$38.15 ₹3,645

110.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$25.32 ₹2,419

260.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$129 ₹12.3K

742.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$77.4 ₹7,391

428.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$355 ₹33.9K

455.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$173 ₹16.5K

640.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

211.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$551 ₹52.6K

1117.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$339 ₹32.4K

128.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.53

34.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $129 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 128% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $99.0 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 238% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 128% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $129 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 $10.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Lucknow – a 238% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $386 in Lucknow versus $1,305 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 238% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.