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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $512 in Mirissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $820 in Mirissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,127 in Mirissa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 137% more than Mirissa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mirissa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Mirissa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$197

$4.31 LKR 1,425

154.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$806

$24.31 LKR 8,045

84.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$214

$7.34 LKR 2,427

62.40%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.4

$2.43 LKR 804

56.38%

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

$1.31 MX$23.58

$0.68 LKR 224

92.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.39

$0.27 LKR 89.8

218.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$57.7

$2.25 LKR 745

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.1

$3.00 LKR 992

67.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.21

$1.58 LKR 522

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$41.83

$0.58 LKR 190

301.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.93

$0.74 LKR 244

94.59%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.25

$1.57 LKR 518

56.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$138

$13.63 LKR 4,511

-43.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$142

$4.73 LKR 1,566

66.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$230

$7.58 LKR 2,508

68.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.4

$6.85 LKR 2,267

-57.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.56

$0.85 LKR 281

67.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.12

$4.59 LKR 1,518

-44.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.42

$1.24 LKR 409

72.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.00

$0.99 LKR 328

96.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.80

$0.74 LKR 245

162.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.69

$0.92 LKR 305

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$21.95

$0.43 LKR 142

183.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$78.7

$10.31 LKR 3,411

-57.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$177

$13.84 LKR 4,578

-28.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.64

$1.94 LKR 644

-20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$48.81

$2.92 LKR 966

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.3

$0.37 LKR 124

1227.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.3

$0.34 LKR 114

935.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$102

$0.93 LKR 308

511.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.68

$1.34 LKR 444

14.93%

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

$21.2K MX$381.8K

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

-43.66%

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

$24.5K MX$440.2K

$41.1K LKR 13.6M

-40.37%

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

$83.6 MX$1,503

$54.4 LKR 18.0K

53.58%

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

$24.03 MX$432

$4.32 LKR 1,428

456.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$527

$20.47 LKR 6,773

43.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$530

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.4

$4.28 LKR 1,416

18.93%

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

$208 MX$3,733

$37.89 LKR 12.5K

448.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$72.7K

$1,206 LKR 399.0K

235.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$801

$18.12 LKR 5,996

145.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$756

$16.61 LKR 5,496

153.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,358

$78.5 LKR 26.0K

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,642

$41.50 LKR 13.7K

120.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,924

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Mirissa: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Mirissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $238 – making Mirissa 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 Mirissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, $512 in Mirissa – roughly 137% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $769 in Mirissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 in Mirissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mirissa, where all-in costs run around $512, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Mirissa 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 $512 in Mirissa to $1,215 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 Mirissa. 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.