Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,171 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,927 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,683 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Perez Zeledon are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Perez Zeledon 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$6.78 ₡3,082

76.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$39.34 ₡17.9K

8.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.98 ₡4,539

6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.80 ₡1,729

-4.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.45 ₡661

1.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.59 ₡725

-40.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.91 ₡1,325

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.74 ₡2,154

-5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.95 ₡886

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.76 ₡1,254

-31.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.14 ₡973

-23.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.53 ₡1,148

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.19 ₡3,725

0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$9.01 ₡4,099

-7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.51 ₡6,144

-17.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.52 ₡2,053

-41.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.03 ₡470

45.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$4.20 ₡1,909

-52.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$3.42 ₡1,553

-39.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.85 ₡1,294

-37.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.80 ₡1,273

-22.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.38 ₡174

184.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.94 ₡1,337

-64.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.09 ₡2,317

-22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$21.95 ₡9,981

-53.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.15 ₡977

-19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.52 ₡691

64.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.74 ₡334

-29.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.85 ₡841

69.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.80 ₡819

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.10 ₡3,684

-61.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.40 ₡635

-9.29%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$38.2K ₡17.3M

-19.05%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$33.2K ₡15.1M

-29.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$93.5 ₡42.5K

-12.31%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$21.44 ₡9,750

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$59.1 ₡26.9K

-49.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$30.20 ₡13.7K

71.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$23.49 ₡10.7K

-20.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.70 ₡4,413

-48.76%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$500 ₡227.3K

-60.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-59.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$63.5 ₡28.9K

-42.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$50.9 ₡23.1K

-21.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$125 ₡56.8K

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$108 ₡49.0K

-17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$336 ₡153.0K

186.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$263 ₡119.8K

76.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,537 ₡699.1K

3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$632 ₡287.3K

91.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

26.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $336 in Perez Zeledon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $347 in Perez Zeledon – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,756 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,171 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $500 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Perez Zeledon. 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.