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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,352 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,802 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,252 in Medina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Medina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Medina 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.59 SAR 21.01

113.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$32.04 SAR 120

47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.10 SAR 30.41

45.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.71 SAR 10.17

52.03%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.81 SAR 3.03

72.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.23 SAR 0.86

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.48 SAR 5.57

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.94 SAR 3.53

128.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-25.63%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.03 SAR 7.63

38.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.27 SAR 19.80

74.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.22 SAR 27.12

27.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.52 SAR 47.01

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.45 SAR 9.20

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-16.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.33 SAR 8.74

-4.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.47 SAR 5.51

60.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.36 SAR 5.12

46.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.35 SAR 5.08

46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.92 SAR 3.45

34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.72 SAR 2.69

68.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.58 SAR 28.47

-39.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-44.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$37.59 SAR 141

-20.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.32 SAR 4.94

296.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.62 SAR 6.08

125.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.72 SAR 21.48

1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.59 SAR 2.23

161.02%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$42.4K SAR 159.2K

-46.20%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$20.5K SAR 77.0K

25.94%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$152 SAR 572

-40.48%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$27.81 SAR 104

-9.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$90.8 SAR 341

-65.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$80.0 SAR 300

-14.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$8.93 SAR 33.55

228.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.51 SAR 50.8

-64.03%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$291 SAR 1,091

-22.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,504 SAR 20.7K

-23.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$37.97 SAR 143

24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$53.8 SAR 202

-19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$66.1 SAR 248

21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.1 SAR 260

32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$568 SAR 2,132

91.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$524 SAR 1,967

-21.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$773 SAR 2,902

155.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$570 SAR 2,140

124.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,295 SAR 8,619

76.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,320 SAR 4,956

408.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,348 SAR 5,064

-42.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.17

174.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $568 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 74% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $191 – 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 4% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,029 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 $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $291 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% 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 $1,305, than in Medina at $1,352. 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 $1,305 versus $1,352 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.