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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,451 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,853 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,255 in Medina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Medina is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.72 SAR 21.48

109.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$31.52 SAR 118

32.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.94 SAR 29.82

35.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.45 SAR 9.19

42.86%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.78 SAR 2.92

85.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.42 SAR 1.57

109.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-10.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.97 SAR 3.66

89.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-32.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.05 SAR 7.71

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.72 SAR 25.23

23.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.09 SAR 26.61

18.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.44 SAR 46.71

-14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.35 SAR 8.82

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.07 SAR 7.79

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.71 SAR 6.42

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.43 SAR 5.36

29.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.46 SAR 5.47

48.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.98 SAR 3.68

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.88 SAR 3.29

21.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.61 SAR 28.57

-46.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-53.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$37.08 SAR 139

-29.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.32 SAR 4.94

144.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.65 SAR 6.21

46.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.59 SAR 20.99

-42.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.65 SAR 2.44

103.08%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

41.56%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

10.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$203 SAR 763

-59.66%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$33.06 SAR 124

-30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$104 SAR 392

-71.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$75.9 SAR 285

-31.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$9.10 SAR 34.18

103.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-63.08%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$287 SAR 1,078

-31.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

-27.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$37.64 SAR 141

-5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$53.3 SAR 200

-24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$66.9 SAR 251

17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$98.6 SAR 370

-9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$435 SAR 1,633

117.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$554 SAR 2,082

-14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$712 SAR 2,674

130.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$419 SAR 1,574

188.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,267 SAR 8,513

78.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,344 SAR 5,045

381.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,339 SAR 5,030

-51.18%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $435 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 105% 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 $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $199 – 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 16% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,177 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $287 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 $1,256, than in Medina at $1,451. 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 $1,256 versus $1,451 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.