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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,047 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,636 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,224 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Puerto Penasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Penasco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Puerto Penasco 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.57 MX$201

1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$41.82 MX$725

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$17.24 MX$299

-38.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.63 MX$80.3

-23.97%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.38 MX$23.88

9.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.00 MX$17.41

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.46 MX$60.0

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.06 MX$87.7

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.49 MX$25.90

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.06 MX$53.1

-38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.97 MX$16.89

69.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.79 MX$48.42

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.79 MX$83.0

74.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.26 MX$178

-18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.41 MX$163

14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.04 MX$70.0

-35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.82 MX$31.57

-19.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.94 MX$50.9

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.04 MX$35.29

1.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.97 MX$34.21

-9.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.93 MX$33.36

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.36 MX$23.53

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.51 MX$26.13

-28.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.42 MX$76.6

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$14.43 MX$250

-28.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.58 MX$27.30

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.41 MX$24.44

82.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.64 MX$11.14

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.16 MX$37.38

50.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.71 MX$46.90

-8.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.22 MX$142

-60.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.30 MX$22.58

0.77%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$21.5K MX$373.0K

40.69%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$22.3K MX$385.6K

5.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$32.19 MX$558

157.44%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.45 MX$181

112.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$31.42 MX$544

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$32.22 MX$558

60.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.02 MX$278

14.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$2.67 MX$46.26

89.89%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$203 MX$3,509

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,537 MX$61.3K

47.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$41.64 MX$722

-11.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.28 MX$455

51.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$62.2 MX$1,078

26.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$64.2 MX$1,113

35.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$509 MX$8,822

91.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$322 MX$5,584

45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$884 MX$15.3K

85.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$525 MX$9,096

132.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,828 MX$31.7K

115.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,294 MX$22.4K

402.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$611 MX$10.6K

8.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.5

20.21%

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 Puerto Penasco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 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 9% 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 $42.00 in Puerto Penasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $280 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Puerto Penasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,571 in Puerto Penasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Penasco, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,047 in Puerto Penasco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $203 in Puerto Penasco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,047, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Puerto Penasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Penasco – 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 Puerto Penasco. 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.