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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,232 in Luquillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,990 in Luquillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,747 in Luquillo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 2% more expensive than in Luquillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Luquillo 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$19.19 $19.19

-37.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$74.3 $74.3

-43.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.36 $7.36

46.06%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.61 $3.61

-3.05%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.23 $1.23

17.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.10 $1.10

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.01 $3.01

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.02 $2.02

123.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.52 $2.52

-43.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.29 $3.29

-44.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.24 $2.24

-29.91%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$5.95 $5.95

-57.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.74 $8.74

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$8.66 $8.66

-2.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$12.87 $12.87

-17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$5.99 $5.99

-56.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.73 $2.73

-47.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.95 $3.95

-50.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.13 $4.13

-49.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$4.00 $4.00

-53.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.58 $2.58

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.51 $1.51

-31.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.99 $1.99

-46.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$12.04 $12.04

-65.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.10 $12.10

-15.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.55 $2.55

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.16 $3.16

-19.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$60.7 $60.7

-57.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.54 $1.54

56.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$14.72 $14.72

-78.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.83 $0.83

59.04%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.6K $36.6K

-18.92%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

-12.70%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$224 $224

-63.32%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$79.1 $79.1

-70.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$74.1 $74.1

-59.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$37.02 $37.02

40.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$11.77 $11.77

-57.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$477 $477

-58.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.4K $10.4K

-48.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.48 $45.48

-21.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$56.2 $56.2

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$80.8 $80.8

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$105 $105

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$814 $814

16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,796 $1,796

-8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,024 $3,024

-78.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.73

141.44%

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 Luquillo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $814 in Luquillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luquillo pays 362% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $372 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

Luquillo is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 362% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $814 in Luquillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,232 in Luquillo – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Luquillo runs roughly 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Luquillo versus $1,256 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.

Expats usually find Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.