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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $645 in Muhradah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,027 in Muhradah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,409 in Muhradah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Muhradah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Muhradah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Muhradah 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.92 SYP 1,205

16.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$45.03 SYP 5,471

4.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.14 SYP 868

66.39%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.69 SYP 448

7.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$2.20 SYP 267

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.79 SYP 96.0

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.87 SYP 227

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.04 SYP 369

123.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.05 SYP 127

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.38 SYP 46.19

478.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.65 SYP 201

3.64%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.57 SYP 191

74.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.84 SYP 466

149.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.61 SYP 681

60.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.68 SYP 1,662

-6.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.07 SYP 130

170.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.41 SYP 172

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.11 SYP 135

93.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.05 SYP 128

115.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.74 SYP 89.9

167.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.79 SYP 96.4

151.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.44 SYP 53.4

179.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.62 SYP 75.6

93.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.84 SYP 345

60.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.04 SYP 733

71.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.06 SYP 129

52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.86 SYP 348

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.01 SYP 123

433.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.54 SYP 187

142.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.57 SYP 919

-23.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$3.59 SYP 436

-57.10%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$15.2K SYP 1.8M

48.11%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.5K SYP 2.4M

33.83%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$140 SYP 17.0K

-34.71%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$9.65 SYP 1,173

161.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$46.27 SYP 5,622

-32.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.59 SYP 680

-13.06%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$66.7 SYP 8,105

235.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,813 SYP 220.3K

133.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.99 SYP 3,522

62.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$40.28 SYP 4,894

9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$60.6 SYP 7,368

32.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$57.3 SYP 6,957

61.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.25

-19.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Muhradah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Muhradah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $167 – making Muhradah 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 Muhradah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $645 in Muhradah – roughly 96% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $967 in Muhradah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $645 in Muhradah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $66.7 in Muhradah. 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 Muhradah, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Muhradah 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 $645 in Muhradah to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Muhradah. 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.