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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $401 in Luque, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $908 in Luque, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,416 in Luque, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 214% more than Luque, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Luque are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Luque 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.07 ₲18.5K

290.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$22.20 ₲133.9K

88.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.69 ₲22.3K

191.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.12 ₲6,736

212.50%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.87 ₲5,274

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.46 ₲2,783

91.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.13 ₲6,815

161.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.53 ₲9,247

194.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.91 ₲5,497

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.00 ₲6,040

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.93 ₲5,605

68.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.64 ₲9,914

53.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.63 ₲40.0K

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.10 ₲18.7K

171.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.69 ₲40.3K

59.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.05 ₲12.3K

27.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.74 ₲4,447

94.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.92 ₲5,577

113.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.98 ₲5,915

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.12 ₲6,728

65.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.68 ₲4,079

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.58 ₲3,502

77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 ₲3,132

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.34 ₲8,088

205.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.31 ₲50.1K

22.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.70 ₲4,249

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.40 ₲8,413

80.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.51 ₲3,095

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.61 ₲3,673

429.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.73 ₲4,380

230.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.81 ₲53.1K

-63.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.87 ₲5,226

51.72%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.7K ₲88.8M

101.73%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$24.3K ₲146.3M

-2.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$19.02 ₲114.7K

331.18%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.83 ₲83.4K

65.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.97 ₲90.3K

101.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$30.31 ₲182.8K

71.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.98 ₲30.0K

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

$197 MX$3,438

$167 ₲1.0M

18.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,222 ₲19.4M

65.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.67 ₲299.6K

-28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$30.91 ₲186.4K

30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$70.9 ₲427.5K

11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$52.2 ₲314.5K

70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$309 ₲1.9M

206.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$480 ₲2.9M

152.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,159 ₲7.0M

249.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$459 ₲2.8M

42.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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 Luque: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $309 in Luque. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Luque. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $144 – making Luque the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 214%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $601 in Luque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $401 in Luque. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $167 in Luque. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Luque, where all-in costs run around $401, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Luque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Luque – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Luque. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.