Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Marsh Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Marsh Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Marsh Harbour.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $736 in Marsh Harbour.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $986 in Marsh Harbour.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 174% more expensive than in Marsh Harbour, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Marsh Harbour 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$8.48 BSD 8.48

-79.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$5.45 BSD 5.45

-59.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.69 BSD 3.69

-53.39%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$7.06 BSD 7.06

-61.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$3.28 BSD 3.28

185.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$7.83 BSD 7.83

-60.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$7.04 BSD 7.04

-82.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.71 BSD 1.71

-9.36%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$23.30 MX$395

$35.44 BSD 35.44

-34.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$121 BSD 121

-73.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$79.2 BSD 79.2

-13.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

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

$222 MX$3,765

$1,477 BSD 1,477

-84.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Marsh Harbour: August 17, 2026

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 Marsh Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marsh Harbour wins on cost – living expenses run 174% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marsh Harbour the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $728 in Marsh Harbour 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $485 in Marsh Harbour – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $485 in Marsh Harbour versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Marsh Harbour but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Marsh Harbour the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Marsh Harbour delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $485 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Marsh Harbour hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Marsh Harbour are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Marsh Harbour gentler on the wallet – expenses run 174% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.