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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,020 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,710 in Mercedes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 6% cheaper than Mercedes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Mercedes is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$15.82 UYU 636

-24.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$55.1 UYU 2,214

-24.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$12.37 UYU 497

-13.10%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.27 UYU 172

-18.03%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.26 UYU 90.7

-35.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.70 UYU 68.2

-48.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.44 UYU 179

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.76 UYU 151

19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.27 UYU 51.0

12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.85 UYU 115

-35.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.44 UYU 57.9

9.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.62 UYU 105

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.76 UYU 553

-39.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$10.84 UYU 436

-22.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.42 UYU 298

43.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.99 UYU 79.9

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.47 UYU 99.3

-41.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.07 UYU 43.16

83.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.01 UYU 121

-30.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.11 UYU 84.7

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.89 UYU 76.1

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.32 UYU 53.1

-21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.63 UYU 65.4

-34.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.92 UYU 198

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.92 UYU 358

14.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.35 UYU 94.3

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.01 UYU 121

-15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.19 UYU 47.67

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$43.60 UYU 1,752

-40.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.49 UYU 59.9

116.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.55 UYU 62.3

55.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.85 UYU 436

-70.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.84 UYU 73.8

-28.26%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.9K UYU 1.4M

-12.44%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

-33.60%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$174 UYU 6,977

-52.76%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$16.81 UYU 675

36.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$48.93 UYU 1,966

-38.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.33 UYU 415

-51.79%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$486 UYU 19.5K

-59.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$8,853 UYU 355.8K

-39.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$96.0 UYU 3,858

-62.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$47.96 UYU 1,928

-15.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$114 UYU 4,566

-30.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$125 UYU 5,007

-28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$566 UYU 22.7K

67.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$289 UYU 11.6K

64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$620 UYU 24.9K

165.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$441 UYU 17.7K

174.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.68

101.06%

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 Mercedes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $566 in Mercedes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Mercedes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $290 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Mercedes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mercedes costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,996 in Mercedes. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,330 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Mercedes at $1,330. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mercedes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,330 in Mercedes. 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, Mercedes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.