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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,831 in Noord, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,105 in Noord, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,378 in Noord, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 31% cheaper than Noord, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Noord is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$23.38 AWG 41.84

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$87.0 AWG 156

-45.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.94 AWG 5.25

-51.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.96 AWG 3.51

-58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$8.69 AWG 15.56

-63.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$9.26 AWG 16.56

-26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.91 AWG 3.43

-12.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.98 AWG 5.34

-26.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.84 AWG 5.08

-39.79%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$6.32 AWG 11.30

-56.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.43 AWG 22.24

-22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.36 AWG 16.76

-3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.03 AWG 21.53

6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.76 AWG 8.51

-39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$5.05 AWG 9.03

-57.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.56 AWG 6.37

-36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.25 AWG 4.03

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.02 AWG 3.62

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.63 AWG 4.71

-53.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.56 AWG 2.80

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$10.11 AWG 18.08

-55.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.19 AWG 18.23

1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$5.82 AWG 10.42

-72.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.35 AWG 7.79

-33.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.73 AWG 4.89

-43.59%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,490 AWG 2,667

-28.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,192 AWG 2,134

-67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,848 AWG 5,096

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,508 AWG 4,488

-49.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Noord: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,490 in Noord. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $87.0 in Noord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $380 – 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 Noord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Noord costs about 45% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,747 in Noord. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,831 in Noord. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Noord, 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 $1,266, than in Noord at $1,831. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Noord it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,831 in Noord. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Noord makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.