Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Penasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Penasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,091 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,878 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Puerto Penasco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Penasco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Puerto Penasco 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$12.85 MX$217

-8.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$46.42 MX$784

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.28 MX$157

25.54%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.07 MX$85.7

-19.33%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.52 MX$25.64

-9.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.11 MX$18.70

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.97 MX$50.2

12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.51 MX$76.2

53.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.76 MX$29.71

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$3.27 MX$55.2

-30.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.80 MX$30.44

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$3.22 MX$54.5

-15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$5.45 MX$92.0

68.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$11.16 MX$189

-20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.43 MX$176

20.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.52 MX$76.4

-33.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.09 MX$35.35

-24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$3.26 MX$55.1

-34.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$2.25 MX$38.10

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.13 MX$36.07

-6.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.26 MX$38.25

-8.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.46 MX$24.69

-19.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.64 MX$27.70

-26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.83 MX$81.7

-4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$14.77 MX$250

-27.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.69 MX$28.64

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$1.58 MX$26.63

82.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.78 MX$13.13

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.32 MX$39.18

134.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$3.32 MX$56.1

11.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$12.76 MX$216

-53.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.51 MX$25.56

2.65%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.4K MX$361.7K

4.33%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$22.5K MX$379.7K

15.51%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$75.6 MX$1,277

17.96%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$13.79 MX$233

81.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$45.53 MX$769

-30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$34.67 MX$586

95.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$21.15 MX$357

36.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$5.74 MX$97.0

-12.02%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$220 MX$3,715

2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,290 MX$72.5K

-1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$58.4 MX$987

-18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$44.34 MX$749

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$107 MX$1,806

-23.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$93.4 MX$1,579

-1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$562 MX$9,495

90.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$416 MX$7,023

-2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,015 MX$17.2K

90.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$810 MX$13.7K

60.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,776 MX$30.0K

125.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,054 MX$17.8K

528.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$631 MX$10.7K

18.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.55

8.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Puerto Penasco: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $562 in Puerto Penasco. 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 19% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Puerto Penasco. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $311 in Puerto Penasco – 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 Puerto Penasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Puerto Penasco is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,955 in Puerto Penasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,304 in Puerto Penasco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $220 in Puerto Penasco. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Puerto Penasco at $1,304. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Penasco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Penasco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.