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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,347 in Macclessfield.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,280 in Macclessfield.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,213 in Macclessfield.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 46% less than in Macclessfield, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Macclessfield is 74% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$20.35 ยฃ15.08
-42.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$742
$96.1 ยฃ71.2
-55.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$184
$9.75 ยฃ7.23
8.72%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.3
$4.73 ยฃ3.51
-24.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.21
$2.13 ยฃ1.58
-31.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.58
$1.44 ยฃ1.07
-37.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$6.76 ยฃ5.01
-55.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$79.2
$6.02 ยฃ4.46
-24.25%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.20
$1.74 ยฃ1.29
-16.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.72
$1.61 ยฃ1.19
13.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.92
$2.22 ยฃ1.65
-27.48%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.05
$3.99 ยฃ2.96
-36.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$11.02 ยฃ8.17
-22.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$147
$8.93 ยฃ6.62
-5.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$15.32 ยฃ11.35
-29.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.37
$2.91 ยฃ2.15
-6.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.91
$1.83 ยฃ1.36
-18.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.73
$3.66 ยฃ2.72
-46.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.57
$3.73 ยฃ2.76
-42.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.05
$1.77 ยฃ1.31
4.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.00
$1.89 ยฃ1.40
15.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.62
$1.21 ยฃ0.90
-11.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.81
$1.49 ยฃ1.11
-27.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.5
$19.22 ยฃ14.24
-78.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$182
$9.43 ยฃ6.99
10.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.71
$3.17 ยฃ2.35
-47.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.23
$3.50 ยฃ2.59
-27.14%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.65
$2.01 ยฃ1.49
-72.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$455
$88.5 ยฃ65.6
-70.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.5
$5.31 ยฃ3.93
-40.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.17
$1.92 ยฃ1.43
23.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.2
$16.41 ยฃ12.16
-80.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.81
$1.88 ยฃ1.39
-30.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$530.2K
$38.6K ยฃ28.6K
-20.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$413.6K
$37.6K ยฃ27.9K
-36.69%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,443
$290 ยฃ215
-71.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$385
$23.05 ยฃ17.08
-3.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$510
$42.21 ยฃ31.28
-30.42%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$889
$45.98 ยฃ34.07
11.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$324
$6.68 ยฃ4.95
179.79%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.9
$13.34 ยฃ9.89
-63.34%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,449
$1,647 ยฃ1,221
-87.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.4K
$16.2K ยฃ12.0K
-67.87%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$624
$90.8 ยฃ67.3
-60.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$684
$42.43 ยฃ31.44
-7.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,394
$87.2 ยฃ64.6
-7.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,520
$106 ยฃ78.8
-17.64%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$894 ยฃ663
7.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,370
$988 ยฃ732
-51.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.6K
$1,275 ยฃ945
29.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.7K
$1,378 ยฃ1,021
-13.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.7K
$1,359 ยฃ1,007
191.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$113.1K
$1,348 ยฃ999
383.34%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Macclessfield
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
$3,559 ยฃ2,638
-79.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.76
98.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Macclessfield: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in Macclessfield. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macclessfield pays 390% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $96 in Macclessfield for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $314 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 Macclessfield: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Macclessfield?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 86% lower than in Macclessfield. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Macclessfield?
On paper, Macclessfield earns 390% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Macclessfield?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Macclessfield. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Macclessfield?
Childcare runs $199 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,647 in Macclessfield. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Macclessfield?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Macclessfield. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Macclessfield?
At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,347 in Macclessfield, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Macclessfield. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Macclessfield?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,262 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Macclessfield?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Macclessfield are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 86% less than in Macclessfield. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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