🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,609 in Mallorca.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Mallorca.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,143 in Mallorca.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 22% less than in Mallorca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Mallorca is 20% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99MX$210
$14.89€13.03
-19.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$733
$57.6€50.4
-27.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.75MX$189
$10.31€9.02
4.27%
Cappuccino
$3.50MX$61.3
$2.22€1.94
57.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.41
$2.29€2.00
-36.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88MX$15.52
$1.78€1.56
-50.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.7
$3.24€2.83
-8.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51MX$79.1
$3.44€3.01
31.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$25.12
$1.14€1.00
25.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$32.23
$1.42€1.24
29.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$27.51
$1.62€1.42
-3.09%
Eggs
$2.51MX$44.06
$2.95€2.59
-14.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28MX$145
$13.53€11.83
-38.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.43MX$148
$8.62€7.55
-2.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.68MX$187
$15.19€13.29
-29.69%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61MX$45.76
$2.53€2.21
3.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.22
$2.03€1.78
-29.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.41
$1.91€1.67
2.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.74
$2.57€2.25
-18.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.47
$1.72€1.51
7.56%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$38.02
$1.94€1.70
11.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03MX$18.09
$1.28€1.12
-19.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.84
$0.77€0.67
38.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10MX$72.0
$6.44€5.63
-36.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.17MX$178
$5.99€5.24
69.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$29.38
$1.22€1.06
37.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$44.31
$2.12€1.86
19.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.93
$1.66€1.45
-69.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.04MX$457
$34.68€30.34
-24.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.7
$4.16€3.64
-22.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.41MX$42.19
$1.25€1.10
92.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.6
$24.66€21.57
-86.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$23.17
$1.74€1.52
-24.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KMX$520.9K
$39.3K€34.4K
-24.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$415.0K
$30.2K€26.4K
-21.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,439
$134€117
-38.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95MX$403
$21.08€18.44
8.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11MX$528
$31.54€27.59
-4.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$912
$48.27€42.23
7.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53MX$325
$15.09€13.20
22.80%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98MX$87.3
$9.43€8.25
-47.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,463
$409€357
-51.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,336MX$93.6K
$8,114€7,099
-34.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60MX$624
$83.3€72.8
-57.24%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33MX$707
$34.42€30.11
17.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,381
$90.6€79.2
-13.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,560
$110€96.3
-19.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$947MX$16.6K
$844€738
12.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$474MX$8,314
$685€599
-30.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,644MX$28.8K
$1,314€1,150
25.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,211MX$21.2K
$993€868
21.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,056MX$71.1K
$3,338€2,921
21.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,470MX$113.5K
$2,297€2,010
181.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mallorca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$654MX$11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
3.5
226.29%
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 Mallorca: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $844 in Mallorca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $58.0 in Mallorca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $264 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 Mallorca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mallorca cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $2,414 in Mallorca 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Mallorca?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $844 in Mallorca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $409 in Mallorca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Mallorca?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Mallorca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Mallorca?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,609 in Mallorca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mallorca. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Mallorca more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mallorca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Mallorca?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mallorca 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Mallorca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared