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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $662 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,046 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,430 in Polomolok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Polomolok are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Polomolok 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.76 ₱107

565.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$13.24 ₱806

216.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.32 ₱142

353.02%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$2.13 ₱130

68.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$0.43 ₱25.88

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.52 ₱31.84

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.13 ₱69.1

161.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$1.64 ₱100

168.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.74 ₱106

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$0.99 ₱60.3

89.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$0.72 ₱43.98

116.67%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$2.04 ₱124

27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.09 ₱371

36.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.95 ₱179

183.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.10 ₱371

78.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$2.78 ₱169

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$0.61 ₱36.98

147.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$2.31 ₱141

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$0.90 ₱54.9

143.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$1.29 ₱78.8

44.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$3.24 ₱197

-31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$0.93 ₱56.8

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.60 ₱36.34

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$2.73 ₱166

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$7.15 ₱435

45.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.05 ₱63.8

58.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$1.49 ₱90.5

75.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$0.26 ₱15.81

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$14.39 ₱876

81.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.91 ₱55.6

238.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$0.25 ₱15.32

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$2.09 ₱127

49.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.95 ₱58.1

37.89%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$18.1K ₱1.1M

64.95%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

18.46%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$57.8 ₱3,521

40.55%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$12.54 ₱764

79.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$29.43 ₱1,792

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$33.85 ₱2,061

56.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$4.36 ₱265

321.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$4.56 ₱278

7.89%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$120 ₱7,335

66.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$1,499 ₱91.3K

245.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.50 ₱2,770

-21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$26.69 ₱1,625

50.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$71.1 ₱4,327

12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$69.0 ₱4,203

25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$266 ₱16.2K

268.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$173 ₱10.6K

171.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$598 ₱36.4K

176.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$396 ₱24.1K

203.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$2,374 ₱144.6K

66.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$971 ₱59.1K

580.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$244 ₱14.9K

176.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 in Polomolok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 177% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $165 – making Polomolok 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 Polomolok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $993 in Polomolok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polomolok, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $662 in Polomolok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% less in Polomolok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polomolok, where all-in costs run around $662, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Polomolok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polomolok – 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 Polomolok. 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.