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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $365 in Masallatah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $570 in Masallatah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $775 in Masallatah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 247% more than Masallatah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Masallatah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Masallatah 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.05 LYD 25.69

186.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.91 LYD 94.5

215.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.57 LYD 16.28

362.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.61 LYD 3.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.43 LYD 2.74

825.58%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.42 LYD 2.65

240.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.10 LYD 0.64

720.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.90 LYD 5.72

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.22 LYD 1.40

900.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.13 LYD 7.17

51.33%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.40 LYD 8.86

95.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.94 LYD 31.31

93.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.23 LYD 20.49

178.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.83 LYD 62.3

30.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.32 LYD 14.72

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.51 LYD 9.57

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.75 LYD 4.77

186.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.56 LYD 3.55

303.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.67 LYD 4.25

195.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.46 LYD 2.93

332.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.43 LYD 2.73

186.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.21 LYD 1.31

471.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.02 LYD 12.83

125.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.76 LYD 4.82

609.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.45 LYD 2.86

728.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.02 LYD 0.12

7600.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.2K LYD 147.3K

-2.99%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$14.4K LYD 91.0K

81.40%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$93.4 LYD 592

-2.11%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.82 LYD 36.89

332.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.21 LYD 172

14.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

$52.0 LYD 330

329.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$625 LYD 3,959

577.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$21.14 LYD 134

122.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$17.74 LYD 112

149.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$55.6 LYD 352

44.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$67.9 LYD 430

36.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Masallatah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Masallatah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $115 – making Masallatah 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 Masallatah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 247%, 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 $548 in Masallatah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $365 in Masallatah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $52.0 in Masallatah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masallatah, where all-in costs run around $365, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Masallatah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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