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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,429 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,462 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,496 in Monrovia.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 12% less than in Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Monrovia is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.64 LRD 1,378

56.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$148 LRD 26.7K

-71.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$11.03 LRD 1,989

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.41 LRD 615

2.64%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.02 LRD 365

-28.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.61 LRD 471

-66.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.81 LRD 507

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.96 LRD 534

52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.09 LRD 378

-31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.81 LRD 326

1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$5.18 LRD 935

-69.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.62 LRD 654

-30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.94 LRD 2,153

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$11.95 LRD 2,156

-29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$36.03 LRD 6,498

-70.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.67 LRD 302

56.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$8.68 LRD 1,566

-83.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$10.12 LRD 1,825

-80.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$10.99 LRD 1,983

-80.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.26 LRD 407

-18.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$10.57 LRD 1,907

-79.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$4.78 LRD 862

-78.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.02 LRD 365

-47.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.01 LRD 904

-18.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.81 LRD 1,228

49.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.43 LRD 438

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.30 LRD 595

-23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.09 LRD 557

-83.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.86 LRD 3,581

31.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.81 LRD 506

14.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.20 LRD 217

100.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$17.15 LRD 3,094

-81.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.22 LRD 221

8.20%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$12.3K LRD 2.2M

140.91%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$15.2K LRD 2.7M

55.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$277 LRD 50.0K

-70.40%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$22.94 LRD 4,138

0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$93.7 LRD 16.9K

-67.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$77.1 LRD 13.9K

-32.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$8.16 LRD 1,471

127.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$9.98 LRD 1,800

-50.10%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$127 LRD 22.9K

55.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$893 LRD 161.0K

497.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$18.30 LRD 3,301

94.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$33.28 LRD 6,002

21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$55.1 LRD 9,945

42.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$69.7 LRD 12.6K

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$679 LRD 122.5K

39.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$94.7 LRD 17.1K

400.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,845 LRD 332.7K

-10.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$269 LRD 48.4K

350.79%

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

$688 LRD 124.2K

-5.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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 Monrovia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $679 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monrovia pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $148 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $537 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Monrovia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Monrovia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $679 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 31% less than in Monrovia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,429 in Monrovia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Monrovia. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Monrovia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.