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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $954 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,494 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,035 in Neum.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 36% more expensive than Neum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Neum 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.66 BAM 14.60

35.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$41.82 BAM 70.5

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.63 BAM 12.85

39.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.65 BAM 2.77

113.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.94 BAM 3.27

-22.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.21 BAM 2.04

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.09 BAM 3.52

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.81 BAM 4.73

58.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.32 BAM 2.22

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.23 BAM 2.08

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.58 BAM 2.65

3.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.01 BAM 5.06

-16.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.60 BAM 16.17

-13.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.75 BAM 14.75

-4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.61 BAM 19.55

-7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.41 BAM 2.37

84.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.64 BAM 2.76

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.94 BAM 3.27

-2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.04 BAM 3.44

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.15 BAM 1.94

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.11 BAM 1.87

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.21 BAM 2.04

-14.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.73 BAM 1.23

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.63 BAM 6.12

12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$4.06 BAM 6.83

154.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.76 BAM 1.29

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.13 BAM 1.91

128.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.85 BAM 3.12

-72.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$34.69 BAM 58.5

-23.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.50 BAM 2.53

117.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.10 BAM 1.85

126.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$7.28 BAM 12.26

-55.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.54 BAM 2.60

-14.94%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$29.1K BAM 49.0K

4.14%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.4K BAM 44.4K

-11.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$174 BAM 293

-52.32%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$18.87 BAM 31.79

17.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$24.01 BAM 40.44

22.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$28.99 BAM 48.84

78.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.97 BAM 18.49

67.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.81 BAM 8.10

5.41%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$203 BAM 343

-1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,618 BAM 6,096

44.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$69.6 BAM 117

-46.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.84 BAM 60.4

11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$89.3 BAM 150

-12.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$111 BAM 186

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$261 BAM 439

272.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$169 BAM 285

176.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$363 BAM 612

352.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$315 BAM 530

287.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,608 BAM 4,394

51.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,838 BAM 3,096

253.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$882 BAM 1,486

-24.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.9

293.79%

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 Neum: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $261 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neum pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $42.00 in Neum. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $220, with Neum cheaper for home cooking.

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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Neum differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $954 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Neum earns 33% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $203 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $954 in Neum versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Neum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Neum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.