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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,300 in Onchan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,125 in Onchan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,950 in Onchan.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Carmen and Onchan; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$30.00 IMP 22.35

-60.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$109 IMP 81.4

-61.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.84 IMP 7.33

8.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$5.46 IMP 4.06

-35.53%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$2.73 IMP 2.04

-44.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.99 IMP 1.49

-51.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.69 IMP 4.99

-55.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.19 IMP 4.61

-28.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.01 IMP 1.50

-31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.99 IMP 1.49

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.01 IMP 1.50

-18.41%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$4.20 IMP 3.13

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.85 IMP 5.11

21.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.39 IMP 6.25

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$11.75 IMP 8.75

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.40 IMP 1.79

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.74 IMP 1.30

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.69 IMP 2.00

-29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$2.82 IMP 2.10

-26.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.30 IMP 1.71

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.56 IMP 1.91

-14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.66 IMP 1.24

-37.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-46.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$22.55 IMP 16.80

-81.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.12 IMP 9.03

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$4.11 IMP 3.06

-58.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$3.60 IMP 2.68

-28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.10 IMP 3.80

-36.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.55 IMP 1.15

60.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$81.2 IMP 60.5

-96.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$2.20 IMP 1.64

-40.45%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$34.4K IMP 25.7K

-12.05%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$35.9K IMP 26.8K

-34.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$308 IMP 230

-73.13%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$39.19 IMP 29.20

-43.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$70.6 IMP 52.6

-58.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$13.65 IMP 10.17

-62.86%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$1,305 IMP 973

-84.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$32.1K IMP 23.9K

-83.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$95.1 IMP 70.9

-61.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$42.09 IMP 31.36

-5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$125 IMP 93.1

-37.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$78.4 IMP 58.4

11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.66

212.02%

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 Onchan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $109 in Onchan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $305 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Onchan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,949 in Onchan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Onchan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $109 in Onchan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,300 in Onchan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Onchan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

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

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Onchan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.