Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Marathon, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Marathon, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,967 in Marathon, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,195 in Marathon, FL.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 53% less than in Marathon, FL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Marathon, FL is 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$20.21 $20.21

-40.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$743

$74.5 $74.5

-42.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$10.16 $10.16

4.23%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$6.09 $6.09

-40.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.51

$2.86 $2.86

-48.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.39

$1.91 $1.91

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$6.18 $6.18

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.5

$9.64 $9.64

-53.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.77

$1.07 $1.07

33.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.75

$2.91 $2.91

-35.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.31

$5.24 $5.24

-68.89%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.94

$4.56 $4.56

-42.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$21.08 $21.08

-61.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$14.05 $14.05

-41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$15.72 $15.72

-29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.08

$4.75 $4.75

-44.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.08

$1.74 $1.74

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.55

$5.74 $5.74

-65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.09

$5.58 $5.58

-62.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.08

$3.70 $3.70

-51.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.83

$3.83 $3.83

-43.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.71

$2.06 $2.06

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.03 $2.03

-48.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.0

$8.61 $8.61

-53.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$177

$13.05 $13.05

-21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.01

$1.76 $1.76

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.41

$1.96 $1.96

27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.01

$1.94 $1.94

-73.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.6

$2.46 $2.46

27.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.75

$1.59 $1.59

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.6

$29.13 $29.13

-89.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.13

$0.84 $0.84

51.19%

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

$30.9K MX$536.7K

$36.3K $36.3K

-14.88%

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

$23.3K MX$405.2K

$27.7K $27.7K

-15.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,425

$255 $255

-67.80%

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

$22.45 MX$390

$46.90 $46.90

-52.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$515

$60.4 $60.4

-50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$901

$43.03 $43.03

20.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.4

$14.74 $14.74

-66.28%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,103 $1,103

-82.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.6K

$23.3K $23.3K

-77.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$53.4 $53.4

-31.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$696

$33.59 $33.59

19.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,388

$92.4 $92.4

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,545

$118 $118

-24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,574 $1,574

-38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,077

$1,345 $1,345

-65.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.7K

$2,600 $2,600

-38.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$2,202 $2,202

-45.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.5K

$2,641 $2,641

49.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.1K

$2,102 $2,102

206.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.53

74.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Marathon, FL: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,574 in Marathon, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $74 in Marathon, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $435 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 Marathon, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Marathon, FL differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $2,739 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $4,109 in Marathon, FL 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,574 in Marathon, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Marathon, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.