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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,478 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,219 in Medina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Medina is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.48 SAR 20.55

114.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$31.47 SAR 118

32.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.18 SAR 30.68

30.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.55 SAR 9.56

38.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.82 SAR 3.07

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.39 SAR 1.45

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.98 SAR 3.68

92.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-30.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.12 SAR 7.97

18.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.49 SAR 24.35

28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.96 SAR 26.13

19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.64 SAR 47.44

-15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.41 SAR 9.05

7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.11 SAR 7.94

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.64 SAR 6.14

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.37 SAR 5.15

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.45 SAR 5.45

51.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.99 SAR 3.70

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.87 SAR 3.27

24.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.58 SAR 28.44

-46.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$37.18 SAR 140

-28.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.31 SAR 4.91

148.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.64 SAR 6.16

51.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.46 SAR 20.48

-40.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.64 SAR 2.41

104.69%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

43.26%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

10.85%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$199 SAR 748

-58.40%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.10 SAR 124

-32.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$104 SAR 392

-71.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$75.4 SAR 283

-31.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$9.01 SAR 33.80

103.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$13.16 SAR 49.38

-61.47%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$290 SAR 1,088

-30.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

-31.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$37.12 SAR 139

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$52.3 SAR 196

-23.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$65.8 SAR 247

19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$96.7 SAR 363

-9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$424 SAR 1,591

129.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$556 SAR 2,085

-15.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$711 SAR 2,670

130.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$412 SAR 1,547

196.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,340 SAR 8,782

68.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,313 SAR 4,929

394.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,316 SAR 4,940

-49.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $424 in Medina. 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 98% higher in Medina, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $200 – making Medina 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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medina costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,217 in Medina. 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $290 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Medina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Medina at $1,478. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,478 in Medina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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