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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Montanita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,335 in Montanita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,773 in Montanita.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Montanita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Montanita 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.43 $3.43

249.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$28.49 $28.49

46.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.60 $7.60

41.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.41 $2.41

45.23%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.89 $0.89

62.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.67 $0.67

31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.97 $1.97

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.52 $3.52

28.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.09 $1.09

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.71 $1.71

7.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.56 $1.56

0.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.15 $2.15

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.39 $5.39

53.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.67 $5.67

48.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.32 $6.32

68.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.99 $1.99

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.20 $1.20

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.09 $1.09

79.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.08 $1.08

93.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.44 $1.44

28.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.07 $1.07

102.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.52 $0.52

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.98 $0.98

9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.06 $6.06

-32.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.17 $10.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.54 $1.54

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.48 $2.48

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.34 $0.34

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$24.32 $24.32

7.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.53 $1.53

111.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.97 $0.97

148.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$9.86 $9.86

-67.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.62 $0.62

112.90%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.6K $24.6K

20.52%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.7K $28.7K

-17.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$40.33 $40.33

103.35%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.65 $13.65

68.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$30.56 $30.56

-1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$30.42 $30.42

70.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.80 $14.80

25.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.49 $7.49

-33.51%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$255 $255

-22.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,624 $5,624

-5.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$56.8 $56.8

-37.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.85 $43.85

-8.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$101 $101

-21.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.4 $75.4

17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$337 $337

180.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$317 $317

49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$621 $621

164.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$499 $499

142.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,239 $1,239

227.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,017 $1,017

535.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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 Montanita: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $337 in Montanita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Montanita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $187 per month, with Montanita 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 Montanita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montanita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,345 in Montanita to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 in Montanita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 in Montanita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $897 in Montanita versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montanita is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.