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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,029 in Palikir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,573 in Palikir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,118 in Palikir, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Palikir, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Palikir are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Palikir 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$30.26 $30.26

-61.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$44.83 $44.83

5.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.90 $5.90

101.36%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.08 $3.08

29.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.14 $1.14

25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.97 $1.97

-58.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.98 $0.98

225.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.99 $1.99

241.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.20 $0.20

740.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.18 $2.18

0.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.15 $2.15

-20.47%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.43 $2.43

12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.52 $4.52

111.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.50 $4.50

100.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.59 $6.59

94.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.60 $3.60

-19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.52 $2.52

-40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.25 $2.25

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.12 $3.12

-27.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.39 $3.39

-41.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.16 $2.16

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.84 $1.84

-33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.13 $1.13

6.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$17.94 $17.94

-74.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.71 $6.71

54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.46 $1.46

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.36 $1.36

111.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 $0.77

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$34.08 $34.08

-15.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.06 $6.06

-11.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.61 $1.61

131.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$4.81 $4.81

19.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$3.20 $3.20

-51.88%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$3,961 $3,961

469.20%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$3,975 $3,975

555.54%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$39.81 $39.81

129.54%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$14.72 $14.72

71.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$263 $263

-88.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$41.54 $41.54

61.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.16 $20.16

44.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.06 $7.06

-31.16%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$116 $116

92.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,661 $1,661

154.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$19.81 $19.81

137.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$25.15 $25.15

76.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$69.0 $69.0

16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.7 $55.7

66.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$834 $834

379.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$713 $713

811.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$248 $248

206.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

380000

-100.00%

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 Palikir: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 206% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Palikir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $215 – making Palikir 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 Palikir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,029 in Palikir – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,543 in Palikir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Palikir. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Palikir, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Palikir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,029 in Palikir to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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