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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $389 in Luque, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Luque, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,421 in Luque, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 233% more than Luque, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Luque are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Luque 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.20 ₲19.5K

266.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$22.28 ₲135.8K

86.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.75 ₲22.8K

183.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.10 ₲6,684

220.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.83 ₲5,088

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.50 ₲3,032

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.15 ₲6,993

156.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.55 ₲9,457

187.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.89 ₲5,448

55.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.01 ₲6,136

87.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.97 ₲5,887

69.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.63 ₲9,955

53.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.70 ₲40.9K

24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.13 ₲19.1K

166.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.53 ₲39.8K

64.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.04 ₲12.5K

27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.78 ₲4,741

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.87 ₲5,322

118.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.96 ₲5,843

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.08 ₲6,566

64.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.68 ₲4,122

222.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.55 ₲3,375

89.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.52 ₲3,181

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.39 ₲8,485

193.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.47 ₲51.6K

21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.72 ₲4,384

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.39 ₲8,459

85.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.48 ₲2,900

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.60 ₲3,677

443.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.73 ₲4,458

241.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$9.05 ₲55.2K

-64.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.86 ₲5,268

52.33%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$14.5K ₲88.2M

109.22%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$23.6K ₲144.1M

-0.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$18.90 ₲115.2K

338.47%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$13.91 ₲84.8K

59.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$15.18 ₲92.5K

93.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$30.02 ₲183.0K

71.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.99 ₲30.4K

1.60%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$164 ₲999.1K

22.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,245 ₲19.8M

60.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$48.28 ₲294.2K

-23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$31.48 ₲191.9K

26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$71.3 ₲434.6K

10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$52.6 ₲320.6K

65.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$310 ₲1.9M

213.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$471 ₲2.9M

159.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,173 ₲7.1M

236.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$470 ₲2.9M

41.26%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Luque: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 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 41% 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 233%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $583 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $389 in Luque. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $164 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 $389, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.