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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,466 in Marathon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,508 in Marathon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,549 in Marathon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Marathon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Marathon is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$18.75 CA$25.68

-38.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$59.8 CA$81.9

-28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$12.60 CA$17.26

-15.87%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.68 CA$5.05

-2.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.79 CA$2.46

-18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.48 CA$2.02

-39.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.21 CA$7.13

-41.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$5.05 CA$6.92

-9.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.45 CA$3.36

-40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.53 CA$3.46

-27.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$2.61 CA$3.57

-38.31%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$2.94 CA$4.03

-13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$8.78 CA$12.04

-2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$16.88 CA$23.12

-49.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$16.02 CA$21.95

-32.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$3.60 CA$4.93

-24.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.09 CA$1.49

36.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$3.34 CA$4.57

-41.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$3.16 CA$4.33

-31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.70 CA$3.69

-31.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$0.99 CA$1.35

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.92 CA$3.99

-63.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.08 CA$1.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$9.29 CA$12.73

-56.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$13.17 CA$18.05

-20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.58 CA$2.17

4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$2.74 CA$3.76

-6.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.34 CA$3.21

-76.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$61.6 CA$84.4

-57.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.26 CA$4.47

-3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.49 CA$2.05

59.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$25.99 CA$35.61

-87.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.12 CA$1.54

16.96%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

21.51%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$20.2K CA$27.7K

17.89%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$206 CA$282

-59.57%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$44.11 CA$60.4

-49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$80.9 CA$111

-63.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$42.06 CA$57.6

21.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$10.73 CA$14.70

-54.43%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$737 CA$1,009

-73.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

-56.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$59.7 CA$81.7

-39.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$37.03 CA$50.7

6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$77.6 CA$106

3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$139 CA$191

-37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,313 CA$1,799

-26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,170 CA$1,603

-58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$2,006 CA$2,748

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$1,825 CA$2,500

-34.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$4,406 CA$6,036

-10.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$3,723 CA$5,100

74.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$1,842 CA$2,523

-60.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.19

84.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Marathon: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,313 in Marathon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 154% higher in Marathon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $60 in Marathon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $359 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marathon is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,700 in Marathon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $737 in Marathon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Marathon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Marathon at $2,466. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marathon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marathon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.