Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Paget Parish Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Paget Parish

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,489 in Paget Parish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.1K in Paget Parish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.8K in Paget Parish.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 76% less than in Paget Parish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Paget Parish is 298% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$49.41 BMD 49.41

-75.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$147 BMD 147

-67.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$16.58 BMD 16.58

-29.13%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$6.18 BMD 6.18

-33.33%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$3.07 BMD 3.07

-54.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$3.18 BMD 3.18

-71.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$7.70 BMD 7.70

-58.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$9.05 BMD 9.05

-21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$4.57 BMD 4.57

-63.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$8.59 BMD 8.59

-74.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$5.58 BMD 5.58

-68.28%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$5.82 BMD 5.82

-51.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$18.94 BMD 18.94

-51.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$17.47 BMD 17.47

-47.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$27.46 BMD 27.46

-53.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$12.98 BMD 12.98

-77.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$6.52 BMD 6.52

-75.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$13.19 BMD 13.19

-83.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$10.85 BMD 10.85

-78.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$6.66 BMD 6.66

-70.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$3.12 BMD 3.12

-36.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$6.67 BMD 6.67

-81.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$3.70 BMD 3.70

-67.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$17.74 BMD 17.74

-74.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$24.76 BMD 24.76

-57.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$5.30 BMD 5.30

-68.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$4.46 BMD 4.46

-37.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$4.37 BMD 4.37

-86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$6.43 BMD 6.43

-18.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$2.97 BMD 2.97

22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$70.6 BMD 70.6

-91.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$2.15 BMD 2.15

-28.37%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$20.4K BMD 20.4K

12.04%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$34.6K BMD 34.6K

-25.32%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$257 BMD 257

-64.77%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$150 BMD 150

-83.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$118 BMD 118

-73.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$200 BMD 200

-65.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$13.23 BMD 13.23

-63.27%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$1,309 BMD 1,309

-82.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$25.4K BMD 25.4K

-83.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$89.6 BMD 89.6

-47.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$70.8 BMD 70.8

-38.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$140 BMD 140

-42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$128 BMD 128

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$3,993 BMD 3,993

-72.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$3,118 BMD 3,118

-86.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$8,342 BMD 8,342

-76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$9,090 BMD 9,090

-85.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$6,082 BMD 6,082

10.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,053 BMD 4,053

-80.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.63

32.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Paget Parish: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $3,993 in Paget Parish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paget Parish pays 424% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $147 in Paget Parish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $797 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 Paget Parish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Paget Parish differ by about 321% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $5,489 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 424% lower in Paget Parish. 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,993 in Paget Parish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,309 in Paget Parish. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $147 in Paget Parish. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,489 in Paget Parish, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Paget Parish. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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 Paget Parish 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 321% less than in Paget Parish. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.