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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,447 in Martin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,099 in Martin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,750 in Martin.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 11% less than in Martin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Martin is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$9.42 €8.04

26.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$46.31 €39.55

-7.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.16 €7.82

15.61%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.87 €2.45

26.13%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.78 €1.52

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.28 €1.10

-26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.17 €1.85

42.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.32 €1.98

92.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.13 €0.96

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.38 €1.18

36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.04 €1.74

-20.10%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.68 €3.14

-28.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$15.82 €13.51

-48.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.72 €6.59

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$13.20 €11.27

-15.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.29 €1.10

105.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.71 €1.46

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.37 €2.02

-16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.15 €1.84

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.42 €1.22

26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.81 €1.55

20.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.70 €1.45

-36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.75 €0.64

38.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.85 €5.00

-32.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.77 €4.08

113.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.06 €0.90

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.39 €2.04

4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.44 €1.23

-63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$29.49 €25.19

-8.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.41 €1.20

122.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.27 €1.09

88.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$22.84 €19.50

-86.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.82 €1.55

-30.22%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$23.1K €19.8K

33.45%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$25.8K €22.0K

-9.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$309 €264

-73.48%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$27.86 €23.79

-19.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$12.57 €10.74

135.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$37.53 €32.05

38.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$17.64 €15.07

5.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$9.88 €8.43

-49.70%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$351 €300

-43.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$7,319 €6,250

-27.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$69.7 €59.5

-47.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$13.81 €11.79

190.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$76.4 €65.2

4.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$109 €93.1

-18.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$516 €441

86.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$484 €413

-3.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$795 €679

100.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$700 €598

72.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,449 €2,091

60.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,813 €1,548

255.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$1,585 €1,353

-54.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.39

160.14%

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 Martin: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $516 in Martin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Martin pays 120% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Martin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $254 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 Martin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Martin earns 120% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $516 in Martin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,447 in Martin – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 9% less than in Martin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,447 in Martin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Martin. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Martin 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Martin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.