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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,045 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,658 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,271 in Minas, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Minas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Minas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Minas 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$16.26 UYU 647

-26.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$55.2 UYU 2,198

-22.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$11.99 UYU 477

-11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.28 UYU 170

-15.42%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.22 UYU 88.5

-33.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.74 UYU 69.2

-45.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.46 UYU 177

-30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.61 UYU 143

23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 UYU 47.55

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.87 UYU 114

-34.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.65 UYU 65.8

-1.21%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.86 UYU 193

-45.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$13.32 UYU 530

-38.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$10.63 UYU 423

-22.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.08 UYU 441

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.07 UYU 122

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.40 UYU 95.3

-37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.49 UYU 59.2

33.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.74 UYU 149

-44.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.16 UYU 85.8

-17.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.92 UYU 76.6

13.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.33 UYU 52.8

-18.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.67 UYU 66.4

-37.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.15 UYU 205

-22.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.02 UYU 399

1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.35 UYU 93.4

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.95 UYU 117

-15.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.56 UYU 61.9

101.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$3.61 UYU 144

-33.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$12.22 UYU 486

-74.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.81 UYU 72.0

-29.83%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.9K UYU 1.3M

-8.86%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

-36.72%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$169 UYU 6,711

-51.39%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$16.34 UYU 650

37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$48.54 UYU 1,931

-38.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$10.73 UYU 427

-53.68%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$495 UYU 19.7K

-60.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,810 UYU 350.5K

-40.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$92.4 UYU 3,677

-60.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$48.47 UYU 1,928

-17.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$114 UYU 4,546

-30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$122 UYU 4,837

-26.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Minas: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $321 – 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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,045 in Minas – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,567 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,045 in Minas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $495 in Minas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in Minas to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Minas. 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.