😐A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,054 in Metn, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,688 in Metn, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,323 in Metn, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Metn, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Metn are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Metn24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96MX$203
$12.18LBP 1.1M
-1.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38MX$804
$63.3LBP 5.7M
-25.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.75MX$199
$10.10LBP 903.6K
16.34%
Cappuccino
$4.12MX$70.0
$4.59LBP 410.7K
-10.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$23.74
$2.27LBP 203.6K
-38.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.48
$0.83LBP 74.6K
9.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$54.4
$5.07LBP 454.1K
-36.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07MX$120
$4.98LBP 446.0K
41.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.44
$1.93LBP 173.0K
-12.95%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15MX$36.48
$0.90LBP 80.5K
138.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.10
$2.15LBP 192.7K
-17.67%
Eggs
$2.82MX$47.76
$3.54LBP 317.0K
-20.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20MX$156
$13.28LBP 1.2M
-30.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23MX$157
$10.42LBP 932.8K
-11.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.64MX$214
$14.37LBP 1.3M
-12.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95MX$50.1
$3.10LBP 277.8K
-4.84%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58MX$26.79
$1.65LBP 147.7K
-4.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22MX$37.70
$1.68LBP 150.3K
32.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.09
$1.53LBP 137.1K
54.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.81
$1.36LBP 122.1K
46.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.58
$1.62LBP 145.4K
22.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.04
$1.18LBP 105.2K
5.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MX$20.55
$0.69LBP 61.8K
75.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60MX$78.1
$2.93LBP 262.2K
57.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.52MX$178
$10.13LBP 907.0K
3.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MX$28.70
$1.33LBP 119.5K
27.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.06
$2.51LBP 224.8K
10.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.70MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24MX$88.8
$4.97LBP 444.8K
5.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.65MX$61.9
$2.24LBP 200.4K
62.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$98.1
$22.13LBP 2.0M
-73.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.09
$1.05LBP 94.0K
46.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$386.8K
$52.5KLBP 4.7B
-56.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KMX$437.9K
$33.1KLBP 3.0B
-21.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.7MX$1,538
$233LBP 20.8M
-61.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19MX$427
$23.29LBP 2.1M
8.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75MX$539
$37.39LBP 3.3M
-15.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,167
$59.6LBP 5.3M
15.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$82.5
$10.01LBP 896.0K
-51.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226MX$3,828
$499LBP 44.7M
-54.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,194MX$71.1K
$10.7KLBP 956.2M
-60.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38MX$804
$67.5LBP 6.0M
-29.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MX$737
$48.97LBP 4.4M
-11.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2MX$1,361
$140LBP 12.5M
-42.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,550
$121LBP 10.8M
-24.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,086MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$409MX$6,933
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,972MX$33.5K
$504LBP 45.1M
291.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281MX$21.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,046MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,704MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Metn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
11
4.09%
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 Metn: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Metn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $278 – 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 Metn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metn cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,581 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $63.0 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?
Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
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 $1,054, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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