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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $530 in Muhradah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $802 in Muhradah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,073 in Muhradah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 140% more than Muhradah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Muhradah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Muhradah 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.84 SYP 645

103.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$27.05 SYP 2,989

58.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.62 SYP 621

89.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.49 SYP 164

131.54%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.18 SYP 130

27.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.72 SYP 79.6

31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.58 SYP 174

91.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.54 SYP 281

81.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.95 SYP 105

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.59 SYP 65.2

213.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.70 SYP 188

-5.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.93 SYP 213

34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.01 SYP 333

174.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.78 SYP 860

7.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.09 SYP 1,226

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.88 SYP 96.8

198.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.81 SYP 200

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.99 SYP 110

93.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.95 SYP 105

120.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.67 SYP 73.7

177.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.62 SYP 68.7

264.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.38 SYP 41.68

178.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.59 SYP 65.0

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.91 SYP 322

42.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.92 SYP 654

75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.98 SYP 109

75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.85 SYP 205

41.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.03 SYP 114

203.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.22 SYP 135

105.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.30 SYP 696

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$3.67 SYP 405

-65.40%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$18.2K SYP 2.0M

66.86%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.8K SYP 2.3M

13.11%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$103 SYP 11.4K

-19.67%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.52 SYP 942

166.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$54.6 SYP 6,037

-46.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.92 SYP 322

68.84%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$43.90 SYP 4,851

349.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,844 SYP 203.7K

186.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$29.13 SYP 3,219

26.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$25.68 SYP 2,837

55.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$45.73 SYP 5,053

74.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$56.5 SYP 6,243

58.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Muhradah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Muhradah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $530 in Muhradah – roughly 140% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $796 in Muhradah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $530 in Muhradah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $43.90 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 $530, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $530 in Muhradah to $1,271 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.