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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,216 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,811 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$10.54 MX$181

12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$45.84 MX$787

-6.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.44 MX$145

26.18%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.36 MX$57.7

2.68%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.39 MX$23.83

7.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.04 MX$17.89

-8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.04 MX$34.96

48.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.59 MX$44.43

77.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.48 MX$25.46

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.52 MX$43.30

-26.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.15 MX$36.94

-25.12%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.28 MX$39.13

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.84 MX$135

5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.56 MX$113

27.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.50 MX$129

42.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.60 MX$44.64

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.57 MX$26.98

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.78 MX$30.49

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.78 MX$13.41

167.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.16 MX$36.99

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.59 MX$44.43

-12.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.26 MX$21.56

-15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.08 MX$18.55

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.99 MX$68.5

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$16.36 MX$281

-36.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.01 MX$34.51

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.95 MX$50.7

-11.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.66 MX$11.29

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$39.00 MX$669

-30.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.39 MX$58.2

-7.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.83 MX$31.38

37.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$8.19 MX$141

-61.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.27 MX$21.82

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$21.0K MX$360.6K

44.59%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.3K MX$383.5K

5.48%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$54.9 MX$942

51.16%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$20.85 MX$358

8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$41.00 MX$704

-28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$42.14 MX$723

21.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$15.64 MX$268

17.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.87 MX$66.5

27.39%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$85.4 MX$1,466

131.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,908 MX$32.7K

176.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$62.5 MX$1,073

-40.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.08 MX$448

52.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$104 MX$1,784

-23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$78.5 MX$1,347

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$897 MX$15.4K

6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$864 MX$14.8K

-44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,386 MX$23.8K

18.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,101 MX$18.9K

11.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,655 MX$28.4K

136.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,105 MX$19.0K

484.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$548 MX$9,406

21.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.33

0.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Mazatlan. 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 22% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Mazatlan. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $248 in Mazatlan – so Mazatlan 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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,621 in Mazatlan – roughly 28% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,432 in Mazatlan. 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.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $85.4 in Mazatlan. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,621 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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