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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 in Makarska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,408 in Makarska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,236 in Makarska.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 18% less than in Makarska, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Makarska is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.07 €13.82

-27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$80.7 €69.4

-48.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.25 €7.10

28.97%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.55 €3.06

-0.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.71 €3.19

-59.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.58 €2.22

-62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.60 €3.96

-35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.83 €3.30

16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.19 €1.02

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.41 €1.21

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.99 €2.57

-45.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.20 €4.47

-51.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$17.90 €15.40

-53.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.56 €9.94

-27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.63 €10.00

-7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.66 €1.43

56.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.55 €1.34

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.08 €1.79

-8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.55 €2.19

-18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.47 €1.27

21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.47 €1.27

48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.89 €0.76

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.19 €1.03

-9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.09 €4.38

-19.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.65 €6.58

34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.34 €1.16

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.42 €1.22

81.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.72 €1.48

-70.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$42.95 €36.95

-38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.99 €2.58

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.15 €0.99

116.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.12 €7.84

-64.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.75 €1.51

-25.14%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.5K €32.2K

-19.22%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.8K €22.2K

-9.24%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$188 €162

-55.90%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$22.89 €19.69

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$29.85 €25.67

-1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$53.1 €45.69

-2.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.02 €12.92

21.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.50 €7.31

-40.35%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$244 €210

-17.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,373 €1,181

279.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$105 €90.1

-64.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$45.57 €39.20

-12.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$138 €118

-43.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$103 €88.8

-15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$660 €567

47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$464 €400

0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,040 €895

57.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$760 €654

60.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$4,587 €3,945

-13.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$2,819 €2,425

130.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.7

142.98%

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 Makarska: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $660 in Makarska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $81.0 in Makarska for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $294 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 Makarska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $2,370 in Makarska to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $660 in Makarska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $244 in Makarska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Makarska. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,580 in Makarska, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Makarska. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Makarska, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Makarska 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Makarska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.