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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,337 in Pembroke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,821 in Pembroke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,306 in Pembroke.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Pembroke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Pembroke is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$50.6 BMD 50.6

-76.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$149 BMD 149

-68.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$17.21 BMD 17.21

-31.73%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$4.61 BMD 4.61

-10.63%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$3.19 BMD 3.19

-56.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$3.16 BMD 3.16

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$7.40 BMD 7.40

-56.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$9.26 BMD 9.26

-23.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$4.51 BMD 4.51

-62.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$8.52 BMD 8.52

-74.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$5.67 BMD 5.67

-68.78%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$7.72 BMD 7.72

-63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$18.79 BMD 18.79

-51.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$23.51 BMD 23.51

-60.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$27.06 BMD 27.06

-53.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$12.71 BMD 12.71

-76.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$6.52 BMD 6.52

-75.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$6.98 BMD 6.98

-68.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$4.11 BMD 4.11

-42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$6.95 BMD 6.95

-71.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$3.12 BMD 3.12

-36.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$6.58 BMD 6.58

-81.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$3.69 BMD 3.69

-67.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$17.83 BMD 17.83

-74.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$25.17 BMD 25.17

-58.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$5.32 BMD 5.32

-68.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$4.63 BMD 4.63

-40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$133 BMD 133

-77.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$6.37 BMD 6.37

-17.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$2.54 BMD 2.54

43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-91.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$2.36 BMD 2.36

-34.75%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$37.6K BMD 37.6K

-39.38%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$41.7K BMD 41.7K

-38.08%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$256 BMD 256

-64.54%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$145 BMD 145

-82.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$163 BMD 163

-80.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$80.0 BMD 80.0

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$13.24 BMD 13.24

-63.29%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$1,306 BMD 1,306

-82.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$24.8K BMD 24.8K

-83.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$91.4 BMD 91.4

-48.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$143 BMD 143

-43.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$129 BMD 129

-29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$3,823 BMD 3,823

-71.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$8,101 BMD 8,101

-90.45%

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 Pembroke: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $3,823 in Pembroke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pembroke pays 948% 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 $149 in Pembroke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $774 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 Pembroke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Pembroke. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 948% lower in Pembroke. 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 $3,823 in Pembroke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,306 in Pembroke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 179% higher in Pembroke. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,337 in Pembroke, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pembroke. 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 $1,305 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 Pembroke 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 79% less than in Pembroke. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.