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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,091 in Mugla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,779 in Mugla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,468 in Mugla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Mugla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mugla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mugla 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.68 ₺353

52.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$25.28 ₺1,162

64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.82 ₺360

36.06%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.32 ₺153

6.02%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.06 ₺48.58

42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.39 ₺17.75

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.35 ₺154

-11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.77 ₺173

18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.88 ₺40.64

56.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.61 ₺28.06

209.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.24 ₺103

-26.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.24 ₺103

12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.88 ₺454

-15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.18 ₺284

34.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$18.33 ₺842

-41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.19 ₺54.8

118.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.93 ₺88.7

-24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.95 ₺43.71

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.29 ₺59.4

61.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.72 ₺32.99

147.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.53 ₺24.44

313.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.88 ₺40.26

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.40 ₺18.27

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.06 ₺94.9

98.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.01 ₺276

71.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.11 ₺96.9

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.58 ₺118

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.57 ₺26.27

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$30.56 ₺1,404

-13.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.80 ₺36.59

307.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.56 ₺25.85

344.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.54 ₺255

-41.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.20 ₺55.0

9.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$48.6K ₺2.2M

-37.65%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$45.4K ₺2.1M

-48.37%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$47.57 ₺2,185

74.21%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.50 ₺253

304.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$8.86 ₺407

231.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$89.6 ₺4,118

-42.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.99 ₺780

7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.57 ₺210

10.94%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$646 ₺29.7K

-68.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,897 ₺408.8K

-41.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$37.42 ₺1,719

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$34.84 ₺1,601

14.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$85.3 ₺3,918

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$44.02 ₺2,022

97.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$583 ₺26.8K

66.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$451 ₺20.7K

3.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,816 ₺83.4K

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$968 ₺44.5K

26.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,529 ₺70.3K

158.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$866 ₺39.8K

650.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,192 ₺54.8K

-44.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

30.12

-62.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mugla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $583 in Mugla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Mugla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Mugla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $215 – making Mugla 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 Mugla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Mugla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,636 in Mugla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mugla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $646 in Mugla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mugla, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Mugla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mugla costs $1,091 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mugla. 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.