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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $658 in Polomolok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,045 in Polomolok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,433 in Polomolok, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Polomolok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Polomolok are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Polomolok 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.80 ₱111

563.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.12 ₱809

225.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.28 ₱141

364.47%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.11 ₱130

71.56%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.45 ₱27.85

226.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.53 ₱32.81

77.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.12 ₱69.0

175.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.64 ₱101

171.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.68 ₱103

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.00 ₱61.7

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.70 ₱42.89

132.86%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.02 ₱124

30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.13 ₱378

33.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.05 ₱188

171.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.28 ₱387

76.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.82 ₱174

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.65 ₱40.04

130.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.41 ₱149

-17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.90 ₱55.6

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.31 ₱80.9

36.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.23 ₱200

-32.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.86 ₱53.0

25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.56 ₱34.58

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.62 ₱162

51.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.24 ₱446

40.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.06 ₱65.3

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.52 ₱93.6

64.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.90

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$14.24 ₱879

89.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.90 ₱55.5

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.23 ₱14.08

943.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.15 ₱133

43.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.03 ₱63.7

23.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

77.34%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

19.19%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$58.1 ₱3,583

41.18%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$12.48 ₱770

79.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$29.48 ₱1,818

0.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.84 ₱2,087

53.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.38 ₱270

326.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.50 ₱278

10.44%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$119 ₱7,312

66.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,531 ₱94.4K

244.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.27 ₱2,854

-21.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$26.14 ₱1,612

53.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$71.2 ₱4,390

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$69.6 ₱4,292

27.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$268 ₱16.6K

258.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$177 ₱10.9K

162.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$577 ₱35.6K

176.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$391 ₱24.1K

208.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,380 ₱146.8K

65.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$339 ₱20.9K

1803.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$244 ₱15.1K

194.77%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Polomolok: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 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 195% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Polomolok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $166 – 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 96%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $986 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $658 in Polomolok. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 89% 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 $658, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.