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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,301 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,093 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,885 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Carmen and Luquillo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Luquillo 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.47 $18.47

-35.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$82.4 $82.4

-42.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.15 $9.15

28.42%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.68 $3.68

11.96%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.57 $1.57

-10.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.51 $1.51

-39.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.92 $2.92

9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.19 $2.19

222.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.21 $2.21

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.18 $3.18

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.41 $2.41

-26.56%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$7.44 $7.44

-62.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.77 $12.77

-27.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$8.48 $8.48

8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.40 $13.40

-5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.05 $5.05

-41.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.56 $2.56

-38.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$4.96 $4.96

-55.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$4.65 $4.65

-49.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.87 $3.87

-48.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.61 $2.61

-24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.44 $1.44

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.59 $1.59

-23.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$12.22 $12.22

-62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$12.23 $12.23

-13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.02 $3.02

-44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.07 $4.07

-31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$59.8 $59.8

-50.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.56 $2.56

104.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.54 $1.54

137.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$41.85 $41.85

-86.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.84 $0.84

83.33%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$39.6K $39.6K

-42.48%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

-8.39%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$250 $250

-63.73%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$68.4 $68.4

-63.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$68.5 $68.5

-53.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$37.30 $37.30

84.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.30 $10.30

-52.82%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$823 $823

-72.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$12.7K $12.7K

-66.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$57.0 $57.0

-16.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$62.3 $62.3

-30.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$81.4 $81.4

-1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$116 $116

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$809 $809

34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,976 $2,976

-74.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.73

142.07%

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 Luquillo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 285% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $387 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Luquillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 285% lower in Luquillo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $809 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 101% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 39% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,301 in Luquillo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Luquillo 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Luquillo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Luquillo wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.