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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,356 in Pembroke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,897 in Pembroke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,439 in Pembroke.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Pembroke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Pembroke is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$60.1 BMD 60.1

-80.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$152 BMD 152

-72.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$14.72 BMD 14.72

-27.72%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.54 BMD 4.54

-22.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.51 BMD 3.51

-56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.97 BMD 2.97

-67.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$8.22 BMD 8.22

-64.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.73 BMD 8.73

-49.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$4.34 BMD 4.34

-68.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$8.66 BMD 8.66

-78.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$5.61 BMD 5.61

-70.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$7.39 BMD 7.39

-66.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.75 BMD 11.75

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$24.61 BMD 24.61

-66.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$32.66 BMD 32.66

-67.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$10.52 BMD 10.52

-75.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$6.32 BMD 6.32

-76.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$12.69 BMD 12.69

-85.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$11.37 BMD 11.37

-81.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$8.44 BMD 8.44

-78.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$5.17 BMD 5.17

-57.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$5.87 BMD 5.87

-82.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$3.27 BMD 3.27

-66.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$17.65 BMD 17.65

-76.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$24.90 BMD 24.90

-58.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$5.33 BMD 5.33

-67.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.37 BMD 4.37

-40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.89 BMD 3.89

-86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$69.0 BMD 69.0

-61.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.13 BMD 6.13

-46.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$53.2 BMD 53.2

-93.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.39 BMD 2.39

-45.19%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

-13.47%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$39.1K BMD 39.1K

-40.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$235 BMD 235

-64.70%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$117 BMD 117

-80.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$159 BMD 159

-81.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$80.7 BMD 80.7

-36.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$13.70 BMD 13.70

-62.99%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$1,333 BMD 1,333

-84.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$24.0K BMD 24.0K

-78.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$80.6 BMD 80.6

-54.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$58.8 BMD 58.8

-32.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$136 BMD 136

-42.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$128 BMD 128

-31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$3,708 BMD 3,708

-73.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

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$68.3K

$5,624 BMD 5,624

-29.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$7,856 BMD 7,856

-91.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.22

58.17%

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 Pembroke: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $3,708 in Pembroke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pembroke pays 1083% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $152 in Pembroke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $820 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 82% 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, Pembroke earns 1083% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,708 in Pembroke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,333 in Pembroke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 229% higher in Pembroke. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,356 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 $1,297 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 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 82% less than in Pembroke. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.