Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and New Providence Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and New Providence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,851 in New Providence, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,678 in New Providence, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,506 in New Providence, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 30% cheaper than New Providence, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while New Providence is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$30.44 BSD 30.44

-60.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$119 BSD 119

-64.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.02 BSD 10.02

5.69%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$6.30 BSD 6.30

-42.54%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$4.83 BSD 4.83

-69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$3.48 BSD 3.48

-72.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$9.45 BSD 9.45

-67.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.56 BSD 4.56

-2.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.91 BSD 2.91

-50.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$4.55 BSD 4.55

-58.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$6.37 BSD 6.37

-74.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$6.69 BSD 6.69

-60.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$13.65 BSD 13.65

-39.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.29 BSD 8.29

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.17 BSD 13.17

-15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.93 BSD 2.93

-9.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$4.02 BSD 4.02

-62.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.59 BSD 4.59

-56.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.12 BSD 3.12

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.13 BSD 3.13

-42.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.42 BSD 2.42

-9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.52 BSD 2.52

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.44 BSD 2.44

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$11.93 BSD 11.93

-66.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$25.06 BSD 25.06

-59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.33 BSD 3.33

-48.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.88 BSD 3.88

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.28 BSD 1.28

-59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$60.4 BSD 60.4

-94.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

$40.18 BSD 40.18

-44.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$98.8 BSD 98.8

-69.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$76.4 BSD 76.4

-32.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.22 BSD 15.22

-67.35%

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,476 BSD 1,476

-34.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$693 BSD 693

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$4,543 BSD 4,543

-73.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for New Providence: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,476 in New Providence. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $119 in New Providence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $450 – making Playa del Carmen 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 New Providence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Providence costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,777 in New Providence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,851 in New Providence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 79% more in New Providence, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in New Providence at $1,851. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Providence it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,851 in New Providence. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New Providence makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.