😐A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $854 in Metn, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,338 in Metn, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,821 in Metn, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Metn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen6% lower, Metn36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99MX$210
$10.71LBP 958.2K
11.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$733
$60.2LBP 5.4M
-30.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.75MX$189
$8.07LBP 722.5K
33.21%
Cappuccino
$3.50MX$61.3
$3.26LBP 292.0K
7.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.41
$1.64LBP 147.0K
-11.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88MX$15.52
$0.86LBP 76.6K
2.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.7
$3.46LBP 309.8K
-14.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51MX$79.1
$5.04LBP 451.1K
-10.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$25.12
$1.78LBP 159.5K
-19.66%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$32.23
$0.80LBP 71.3K
130.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$27.51
$0.99LBP 88.4K
58.59%
Eggs
$2.51MX$44.06
$1.41LBP 126.2K
78.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28MX$145
$5.82LBP 521.0K
42.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.43MX$148
$6.54LBP 585.3K
28.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.68MX$187
$11.55LBP 1.0M
-7.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61MX$45.76
$1.79LBP 159.8K
45.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.22
$1.46LBP 130.5K
-1.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.41
$1.14LBP 102.3K
71.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.74
$1.09LBP 97.7K
91.74%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.47
$0.92LBP 82.8K
101.09%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$38.02
$1.00LBP 89.4K
117.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03MX$18.09
$0.82LBP 73.6K
25.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.84
$0.51LBP 45.7K
109.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10MX$72.0
$1.53LBP 136.5K
167.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.17MX$178
$10.05LBP 899.3K
1.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$29.38
$0.75LBP 66.9K
124.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$44.31
$0.98LBP 87.9K
158.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.93
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.04MX$457
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.7
$4.95LBP 443.4K
-34.75%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.41MX$42.19
$1.22LBP 109.2K
97.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.6
$20.28LBP 1.8M
-84.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$23.17
$0.96LBP 85.7K
37.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KMX$520.9K
$34.6KLBP 3.1B
-14.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$415.0K
$27.9KLBP 2.5B
-15.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,439
$211LBP 18.9M
-61.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95MX$403
$37.19LBP 3.3M
-38.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11MX$528
$37.12LBP 3.3M
-18.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$912
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.98MX$87.3
$8.17LBP 731.5K
-39.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,463
$307LBP 27.5M
-35.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,336MX$93.6K
$4,492LBP 402.0M
18.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60MX$624
$70.0LBP 6.3M
-49.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33MX$707
$44.19LBP 4.0M
-8.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,381
$124LBP 11.1M
-36.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,560
$94.6LBP 8.5M
-6.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$947MX$16.6K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$474MX$8,314
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,644MX$28.8K
$496LBP 44.4M
231.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,211MX$21.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,056MX$71.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,470MX$113.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$654MX$11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.16
2.33%
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 Metn: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Metn. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $188 in Metn – so Metn 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 Metn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metn cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,280 in Metn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Metn?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $60.0 in Metn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Metn?
Groceries cost about 32% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Metn?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Metn, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Metn it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Metn more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Metn – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Metn. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared