Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Panama City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Panama City

🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 8.6% cheaper than Panama City without rent, and 30.4% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 6.2% cheaper than Panama City without rent, and 18% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.85 MX$208
$10.17 PAB 10.17
16.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.16 MX$742
$50.4 PAB 50.4
-16.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$189
$7.88 PAB 7.88
36.42%
Cappuccino
$3.47 MX$61.1
$3.71 PAB 3.71
-6.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.56
$1.64 PAB 1.64
-11.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.88
$1.33 PAB 1.33
-32.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 MX$53.7
$2.95 PAB 2.95
3.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 MX$77.7
$4.06 PAB 4.06
8.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 MX$24.09
$1.83 PAB 1.83
-25.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 MX$32.93
$2.58 PAB 2.58
-27.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 MX$27.15
$2.40 PAB 2.40
-35.83%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$44.03
$2.97 PAB 2.97
-15.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.61 MX$151
$11.34 PAB 11.34
-24.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 MX$152
$7.06 PAB 7.06
22.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.02 MX$194
$9.76 PAB 9.76
12.91%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 MX$48.36
$3.40 PAB 3.40
-19.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$25.12
$1.50 PAB 1.50
-4.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.94
$2.77 PAB 2.77
-32.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$38.13
$3.23 PAB 3.23
-32.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 MX$33.12
$2.20 PAB 2.20
-14.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.25 MX$39.51
$2.87 PAB 2.87
-21.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.78
$2.17 PAB 2.17
-50.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.88
$1.54 PAB 1.54
-30.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$73.1
$5.99 PAB 5.99
-30.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.34 MX$182
$10.31 PAB 10.31
0.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.54
$1.30 PAB 1.30
29.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 MX$43.69
$2.33 PAB 2.33
6.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.76
$0.43 PAB 0.43
27.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.53 MX$467
$22.39 PAB 22.39
18.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 MX$56.6
$2.46 PAB 2.46
30.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.48 MX$43.65
$1.82 PAB 1.82
36.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 MX$54.7
$21.57 PAB 21.57
-85.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$22.09
$0.95 PAB 0.95
32.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.7K MX$539.3K
$20.1K PAB 20.1K
52.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$422.8K
$20.1K PAB 20.1K
19.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 MX$1,451
$123 PAB 123
-33.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.29 MX$392
$29.81 PAB 29.81
-25.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.02 MX$528
$49.87 PAB 49.87
-39.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 MX$905
$46.19 PAB 46.19
11.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.29 MX$322
$32.83 PAB 32.83
-44.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$87.7
$8.09 PAB 8.09
-38.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$200 MX$3,518
$478 PAB 478
-58.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,304 MX$93.3K
$15.8K PAB 15.8K
-66.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.71 MX$628
$52.0 PAB 52.0
-31.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.56 MX$696
$46.66 PAB 46.66
-15.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.6 MX$1,417
$89.6 PAB 89.6
-10.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.3 MX$1,554
$123 PAB 123
-28.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$969 MX$17.1K
$1,124 PAB 1,124
-13.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,482
$894 PAB 894
-46.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$28.1K
$2,059 PAB 2,059
-22.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 MX$20.8K
$1,553 PAB 1,553
-23.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,050 MX$71.2K
$3,128 PAB 3,128
29.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,522 MX$114.7K
$1,730 PAB 1,730
276.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Panama City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$756 MX$13.3K
$967 PAB 967
-21.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
6.23
83.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

Last update for Panama City: March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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