Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mazarron

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,578 in Mazarron, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Mazarron
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,578
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Mazarron

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Mazarron actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,578 in Mazarron, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,210
  • Mazarron $1,578

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,290 in Mazarron, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,113
  • Mazarron $2,290

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,001 in Mazarron, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,016
  • Mazarron $3,001

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Mazarron, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Playa del Carmen sits 10% below the global median, while Mazarron is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.76 MX$199
$12.29 €10.93
-12.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.03 MX$795
$36.38 €32.36
18.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$218
$11.14 €9.91
5.83%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$71.4
$1.56 €1.38
148.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$25.29
$2.47 €2.20
-44.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.44
$1.86 €1.65
-54.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 MX$57.3
$3.46 €3.07
-10.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 MX$93.6
$3.61 €3.21
40.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.55
$1.20 €1.07
20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 MX$41.23
$1.50 €1.33
48.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.56 €1.39
-5.77%
Eggs
$2.53 MX$46.71
$3.24 €2.89
-21.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.30 MX$135
$13.68 €12.17
-46.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$145
$7.95 €7.07
-1.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.79 MX$236
$15.95 €14.19
-19.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.6
$2.52 €2.24
15.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.53
$1.98 €1.76
-27.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.07
$1.85 €1.65
37.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$38.03
$2.63 €2.33
-21.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$36.97
$1.78 €1.58
12.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 MX$37.07
$1.97 €1.76
2.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 MX$22.02
$1.32 €1.17
-9.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.23
$0.67 €0.59
88.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 MX$81.4
$6.12 €5.45
-28.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 MX$177
$5.69 €5.06
68.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.41
$1.23 €1.10
29.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 MX$51.9
$2.20 €1.96
27.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.47
$1.62 €1.44
-64.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.82 MX$514
$32.03 €28.49
-13.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 MX$92.1
$4.17 €3.71
19.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.50 MX$64.6
$1.43 €1.27
144.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.40 MX$99.8
$23.19 €20.63
-76.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.08
$1.79 €1.59
-17.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K MX$387.8K
$34.8K €30.9K
-39.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.8K
$29.6K €26.3K
-19.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.2 MX$1,556
$145 €129
-41.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.99 MX$443
$18.02 €16.02
33.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.02 MX$536
$30.40 €27.04
-4.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.0 MX$1,164
$45.68 €40.63
37.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.14 MX$539
$15.99 €14.22
82.24%
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$91.3
$8.94 €7.95
-44.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,763
$474 €422
-57.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,941 MX$72.8K
$8,564 €7,617
-53.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.60 MX$806
$85.6 €76.1
-49.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.12 MX$797
$35.90 €31.93
20.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.8 MX$1,400
$90.5 €80.5
-16.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 MX$1,637
$112 €100
-21.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 MX$18.6K
$900 €801
12.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$374 MX$6,911
$669 €595
-44.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.6K
$1,353 €1,204
26.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 MX$20.4K
$1,025 €912
7.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,944 MX$72.9K
$3,261 €2,901
20.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,169 MX$114.0K
$2,206 €1,962
179.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mazarron
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$754 MX$13.9K
$2,238 €1,991
-66.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.3
246.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mazarron: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$374
Mazarron
$669 78.9% $295
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Mazarron
$264 2.3% $6
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Mazarron
$192 5% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Mazarron
$193 40.8% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$113
Mazarron
$146 29.2% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$73
Mazarron
$64 12.8% $9.3
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$53
Mazarron
$50 5.2% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $900 in Mazarron. 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 197% higher in Mazarron, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Mazarron. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Playa del Carmen vs $264 in Mazarron – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇸 Mazarron
🕒 Local time
01:10 1:10 AM
08:10 8:10 AM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
34,462
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Mazarron 8,270 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Mazarron

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mazarron: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Mazarron compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, $1,578 in Mazarron – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Mazarron?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,367 in Mazarron. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Mazarron?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Mazarron?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,210 in Playa del Carmen and $1,578 in Mazarron. That's a gap of about 30%.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Mazarron?
Public transport costs about 15% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,210, than in Mazarron at $1,578. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazarron it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Mazarron?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,210 in Playa del Carmen to $1,578 in Mazarron. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Mazarron safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Mazarron?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazarron makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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