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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,635 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,259 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,882 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$10.49 MX$184

13.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$45.40 MX$795

-5.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.44 MX$148

25.47%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.39 MX$59.3

6.78%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.38 MX$24.17

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.03 MX$18.03

-8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.99 MX$34.87

55.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.57 MX$44.89

73.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.47 MX$25.65

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.55 MX$44.67

-26.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.09 MX$36.55

-22.01%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.32 MX$40.59

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.70 MX$135

6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.51 MX$114

27.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.37 MX$129

50.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.69 MX$47.12

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.62 MX$28.32

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.77 MX$31.02

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.74 MX$13.00

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.18 MX$38.15

-17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.55 MX$44.56

-14.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.26 MX$22.11

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.08 MX$18.84

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.07 MX$71.2

-2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$16.08 MX$281

-36.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.99 MX$34.89

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.12 MX$54.6

-19.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.66 MX$11.58

-21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$39.44 MX$690

-31.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.34 MX$58.5

-5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.83 MX$32.05

31.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.16 MX$143

-62.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.30 MX$22.75

-2.31%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$21.3K MX$372.4K

45.13%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.3K MX$390.9K

4.38%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$56.0 MX$980

46.47%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$21.20 MX$371

5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$41.41 MX$725

-28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$42.74 MX$748

21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$16.01 MX$280

16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.05 MX$70.9

22.72%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$83.3 MX$1,457

137.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,899 MX$33.2K

177.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$60.5 MX$1,059

-39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$26.06 MX$456

53.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$105 MX$1,835

-23.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$78.0 MX$1,365

13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$869 MX$15.2K

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$874 MX$15.3K

-46.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,404 MX$24.6K

13.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,077 MX$18.8K

12.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,633 MX$28.6K

141.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,087 MX$19.0K

493.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$551 MX$9,641

30.77%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $869 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 31% 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 $45.00 in Mazatlan. Groceries tell a different story – $251 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,635 in Mazatlan – roughly 27% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,452 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 46% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $83.3 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 $1,287, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,635 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.