Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Lyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Lyon, France
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Lyon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,050 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Lyon $2,050

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,182 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Lyon $3,182

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,315 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Lyon $4,315

Playa del Carmen is about 41% cheaper than Lyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Lyon is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$16.86 €15.10
-35.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$67.5 €60.5
-35.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$13.67 €12.25
-13.83%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$4.12 €3.69
-7.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.76 €2.47
-53.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.65 €1.48
-52.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$7.60 €6.80
-58.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$6.08 €5.44
-18.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.57 €1.41
-10.19%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$1.72 €1.54
29.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$2.45 €2.20
-42.04%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$4.74 €4.25
-46.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$22.95 €20.55
-68.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$12.21 €10.93
-36.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$22.99 €20.59
-44.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.41 €2.16
15.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.51 €2.24
-45.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$3.43 €3.07
-25.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$3.19 €2.85
-33.54%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$2.50 €2.24
-22.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$2.94 €2.64
-35.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$1.41 €1.27
-18.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$1.07 €0.96
10.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$13.89 €12.44
-69.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$7.77 €6.96
28.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$2.66 €2.38
-40.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.25 €2.91
-17.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$2.42 €2.16
-77.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$82.3 €73.7
-67.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$8.39 €7.52
-40.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$2.20 €1.97
51.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$41.20 €36.89
-86.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$2.21 €1.98
-34.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$34.4K €30.8K
-39.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$37.6K €33.6K
-37.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$268 €240
-68.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$14.01 €12.55
67.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$29.09 €26.06
-1.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$36.88 €33.03
54.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$28.38 €25.41
1.87%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$15.33 €13.73
-66.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$628 €563
-67.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$11.2K €10.0K
-64.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$108 €96.5
-59.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$43.36 €38.84
-4.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$122 €109
-39.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$127 €114
-29.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$891 €798
9.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$702 €629
-45.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,879 €1,683
-9.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,369 €1,226
-21.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$6,425 €5,755
-38.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$4,317 €3,866
42.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Lyon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$3,069 €2,748
-76.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.68
211.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lyon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Lyon
$702 84.4% $321
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Lyon
$385 50.9% $130
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Lyon
$293 44.9% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Lyon
$311 127% $174
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Lyon
$180 61.2% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Lyon
$68 0.3% $0.2
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Lyon
$111 121% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $891 in Lyon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lyon are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $68 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $385 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇫🇷 Lyon
🕒 Local time
17:15 5:15 PM
23:15 11:15 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
522,250
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Lyon 8,520 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Lyon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Lyon?
Lyon costs about 70% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Lyon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,075 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Lyon?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $891 in Lyon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Lyon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,050 in Lyon. That makes Playa del Carmen about 41% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Lyon?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Lyon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Lyon at $2,050. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Lyon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,204 versus $2,050 in Lyon. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Lyon?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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