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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,771 in Marsascala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,713 in Marsascala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,655 in Marsascala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 29% cheaper than Marsascala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Marsascala is 29% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$20.05 €17.47

-42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$89.2 €77.7

-47.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$14.01 €12.22

-15.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.26 €1.97

76.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.45 €2.13

-41.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.37 €1.20

-40.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.13 €3.60

-22.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.37 €2.94

101.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.28 €1.11

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.89 €0.77

147.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.37 €2.94

-49.26%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.26 €3.72

-35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.70 €4.97

68.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.23 €5.43

44.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.18 €12.36

-9.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.56 €3.11

-18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.59 €2.25

-42.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.30 €2.00

-6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.95 €2.57

-23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.53 €2.21

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.04 €1.78

-2.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.38 €2.07

-48.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.95 €0.83

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$6.23 €5.43

-26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.09 €6.18

46.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.68 €1.47

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.42 €2.11

19.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.29 €2.00

-73.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.05 €4.40

6.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$2.26 €1.97

65.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$14.10 €12.29

-59.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.53 €1.33

0.65%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$31.8K €27.7K

-29.05%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$28.9K €25.2K

-9.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$102 €89.3

-10.83%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.03 €18.33

19.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$29.21 €25.46

6.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$58.6 €51.1

14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$23.51 €20.49

23.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$10.54 €9.19

-53.89%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$233 €203

-4.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,619 €4,027

-8.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$90.9 €79.3

-48.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.50 €26.58

45.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$88.5 €77.1

-9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$84.3 €73.5

9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,040 €907

2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$859 €748

-54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,485 €1,295

44.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,279 €1,115

-0.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,940 €2,563

36.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,448 €2,134

165.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,182 €1,902

-65.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.9

294.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Marsascala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,040 in Marsascala. 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 188% higher in Marsascala, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 in Marsascala. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $260 in Marsascala – so Marsascala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Marsascala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsascala is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,657 in Marsascala. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $89.0 in Marsascala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Marsascala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Marsascala at $1,771. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsascala 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, Marsascala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.