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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Marilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,022 in Marilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,383 in Marilia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 98% more expensive than in Marilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Marilia 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.99 R$25.60

139.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$13.58 R$69.6

248.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.08 R$41.44

45.42%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.92 R$9.83

114.58%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.16 R$5.93

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.80 R$4.08

13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.95 R$4.85

237.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.67 R$13.71

164.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.16 R$5.94

44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.54 R$7.92

39.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.01 R$5.16

75.25%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.98 R$10.17

42.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.65 R$49.48

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.94 R$20.19

134.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$6.68 R$34.23

89.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.80 R$9.21

63.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.03 R$5.26

53.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.76 R$3.89

192.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.80 R$4.10

195.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.92 R$4.70

116.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.01 R$5.17

96.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.57 R$2.94

117.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.40 R$2.05

202.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.93 R$9.90

138.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.86 R$45.41

18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.57 R$2.91

196.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.97 R$10.08

40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.14 R$5.82

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.26 R$6.44

315.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.92 R$4.72

296.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.86 R$19.81

49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.02 R$5.24

50.98%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$34.5K R$177.1K

-33.99%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.6K R$131.5K

0.66%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$49.62 R$254

82.73%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$10.74 R$55.1

134.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$22.62 R$116

40.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$23.20 R$119

196.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$13.87 R$71.1

111.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.98 R$30.65

-18.73%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$232 R$1,191

-2.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,424 R$38.1K

-43.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$40.82 R$209

16.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$56.9 R$292

-23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$84.2 R$432

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$59.3 R$304

54.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$297 R$1,522

265.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$158 R$811

158.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$593 R$3,038

232.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$293 R$1,500

337.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$975 R$4,996

315.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$493 R$2,527

1260.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$393 R$2,014

96.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.5

9.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Marilia: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $297 in Marilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 97% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Marilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $166 per month, with Marilia 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 Marilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marilia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $297 in Marilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Marilia – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $661 in Marilia versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Marilia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Marilia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Marilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.