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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $915 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,603 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,290 in Marabella.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 42% more expensive than Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Marabella 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.41 TTD 69.7

12.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$87.2 TTD 584

-52.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.49 TTD 50.2

42.06%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.72 TTD 24.93

-5.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.05 TTD 7.05

43.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.84 TTD 5.60

15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.88 TTD 12.58

56.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.08 TTD 20.65

44.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.66 TTD 17.84

-48.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.79 TTD 18.68

-32.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.66 TTD 17.81

-38.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.13 TTD 34.34

-51.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.04 TTD 53.9

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.20 TTD 68.4

-18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.50 TTD 97.1

-26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.73 TTD 38.39

-54.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.62 TTD 17.58

-44.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.35 TTD 29.11

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.65 TTD 31.17

-55.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.43 TTD 9.56

24.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.67 TTD 11.17

31.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.96 TTD 13.12

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.47 TTD 9.85

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.08 TTD 40.74

-32.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.68 TTD 125

-44.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.13 TTD 14.29

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.71 TTD 18.13

-4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.01 TTD 6.75

222.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.26 TTD 8.45

97.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.86 TTD 99.6

-78.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.10 TTD 7.37

19.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.0K TTD 228.1K

-11.06%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$37.9K TTD 253.9K

-38.18%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$78.6 TTD 527

5.39%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$47.50 TTD 318

-53.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$62.9 TTD 421

-53.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$9.91 TTD 66.4

-48.84%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$328 TTD 2,195

-38.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,316 TTD 49.0K

-28.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.8 TTD 400

-38.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$38.92 TTD 261

2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$146 TTD 978

-46.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$126 TTD 842

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

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 Marabella: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $87.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $376 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 Marabella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Marabella differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $915 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,373 in Marabella 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.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 51% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $915 in Marabella – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $915 in Marabella versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.