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 $1,325 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,530 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,355 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,162 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,384 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,794 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 2% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.87 MX$220

$11.88 MX$203

8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.29 MX$807

$49.20 MX$839

-3.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 MX$218

$8.88 MX$151

44.03%

Cappuccino

$3.96 MX$67.5

$3.77 MX$64.3

5.04%

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

$1.43 MX$24.36

$1.53 MX$26.16

-6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.15 MX$19.55

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.7

$2.22 MX$37.92

36.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 MX$119

$2.87 MX$49.00

142.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MX$28.87

$1.70 MX$28.97

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 MX$36.34

$2.77 MX$47.26

-23.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.79

$1.46 MX$24.95

15.75%

Eggs

$2.76 MX$47.06

$2.95 MX$50.3

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 MX$157

$9.01 MX$154

2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 MX$154

$7.38 MX$126

22.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 MX$211

$8.35 MX$142

48.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 MX$52.7

$2.89 MX$49.25

6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.37

$1.74 MX$29.67

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.57

$1.78 MX$30.33

20.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.59

$0.51 MX$8.63

331.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.99

$1.70 MX$29.04

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.67

$1.43 MX$24.37

41.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$20.84

$1.67 MX$28.53

-26.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$78.8

$4.29 MX$73.1

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 MX$181

$16.68 MX$285

-36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$27.97

$2.22 MX$37.95

-26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$50.1

$3.42 MX$58.4

-14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.33

$0.79 MX$13.54

-22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.50 MX$503

$43.18 MX$737

-31.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 MX$90.5

$3.85 MX$65.6

37.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.6

$2.55 MX$43.57

46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MX$98.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$26.88

$1.51 MX$25.73

4.64%

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

$22.4K MX$382.6K

$22.8K MX$389.4K

-1.74%

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

$25.4K MX$433.3K

$25.8K MX$440.5K

-1.64%

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

$90.7 MX$1,546

$61.9 MX$1,057

46.35%

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

$23.03 MX$393

$50.2 MX$856

-54.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.71 MX$541

$45.64 MX$779

-30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.1 MX$1,145

$46.53 MX$794

44.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$86.2

$4.59 MX$78.3

10.02%

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

$222 MX$3,779

$94.8 MX$1,617

133.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,223 MX$72.0K

$2,137 MX$36.5K

97.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 MX$777

$67.6 MX$1,154

-32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.06 MX$752

$28.74 MX$490

53.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 MX$1,643

$120 MX$2,051

-19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 MX$1,591

$87.9 MX$1,499

6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 MX$18.3K

$837 MX$14.3K

28.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 MX$6,861

$656 MX$11.2K

-38.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 MX$32.5K

$1,323 MX$22.6K

44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$21.5K

$860 MX$14.7K

46.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 MX$69.8K

$1,651 MX$28.2K

147.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,594 MX$112.5K

$1,087 MX$18.5K

506.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 MX$12.8K

$559 MX$9,544

34.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,074 in Playa del Carmen versus $837 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 35% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Mazatlan. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 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: $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, $1,530 in Mazatlan – roughly 15% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,988 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,296 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 $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.8 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 $1,325, than in Mazatlan at $1,530. 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 $1,325 in Playa del Carmen to $1,530 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.