Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Rico
For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $1,962 in Puerto Rico, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
-
Playa del Carmen Living Index60Cost of Living Index in Playa del CarmenLearn more -
Puerto Rico Living Index94Cost of Living Index in Puerto RicoLearn more
🙂 Solo nomad: Playa del Carmen is 10.6% cheaper than Puerto Rico without rent, and 38.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Playa del Carmen is 23.3% cheaper than Puerto Rico without rent, and 23.2% cheaper with rent.
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.97 MX$201
$15.09 $15.09
-27.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85 MX$823
$81.1 $81.1
-44.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 MX$219
$10.11 $10.11
17.90%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$69.9
$3.38 $3.38
12.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.08
$1.74 $1.74
-24.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 MX$15.72
$1.36 $1.36
-36.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$59.0
$2.97 $2.97
8.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.01 MX$92.0
$4.48 $4.48
11.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.77
$2.08 $2.08
-29.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 MX$42.72
$3.38 $3.38
-31.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 MX$26.48
$2.19 $2.19
-34.25%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$45.20
$6.05 $6.05
-59.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.70 MX$141
$11.12 $11.12
-30.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 MX$145
$8.34 $8.34
-5.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.80 MX$235
$12.18 $12.18
5.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 MX$53.6
$4.46 $4.46
-34.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.11
$2.65 $2.65
-46.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.57 MX$47.10
$4.56 $4.56
-43.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.24
$4.49 $4.49
-52.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$35.75
$3.36 $3.36
-41.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.55
$3.22 $3.22
-39.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.13
$3.06 $3.06
-62.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.42
$1.81 $1.81
-32.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.3
$12.07 $12.07
-63.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.85 MX$181
$15.85 $15.85
-37.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.23
$2.41 $2.41
-36.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 MX$49.86
$3.58 $3.58
-24.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.64
$1.22 $1.22
-57.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.42 MX$503
$29.70 $29.70
-7.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 MX$90.2
$2.56 $2.56
91.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.52 MX$64.7
$1.53 $1.53
130.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 MX$104
$42.60 $42.60
-86.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.27
$1.08 $1.08
42.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$389.9K
$40.5K $40.5K
-47.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$449.6K
$29.0K $29.0K
-15.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.6 MX$1,535
$293 $293
-71.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.03 MX$441
$68.1 $68.1
-64.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.33 MX$539
$71.5 $71.5
-58.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 MX$1,191
$28.82 $28.82
125.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.46 MX$541
$13.65 $13.65
115.82%
Cinema Ticket
$5.09 MX$93.4
$10.11 $10.11
-49.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,813
$707 $707
-70.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,045 MX$74.3K
$11.5K $11.5K
-64.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 MX$818
$55.9 $55.9
-20.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.06 MX$772
$48.73 $48.73
-13.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.5 MX$1,387
$91.3 $91.3
-17.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,678
$101 $101
-9.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 MX$18.1K
$1,071 $1,071
-7.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$385 MX$7,072
$673 $673
-42.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,713 MX$31.5K
$2,041 $2,041
-16.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 MX$20.4K
$1,247 $1,247
-11.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,016 MX$73.7K
$5,615 $5,615
-28.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,247 MX$114.7K
$2,518 $2,518
148.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Rico
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.9K
$2,782 $2,782
-72.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.51
75.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026
Last update for Puerto Rico: October 5, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen $385 31.4%
Puerto Rico $673 34.7% 74.8% $288
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen $260 21.2%
Puerto Rico $379 19.6% 45.7% $119
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen $204 16.6%
Puerto Rico $228 11.8% 11.7% $24
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen $137 11.2%
Puerto Rico $432 22.3% 215% $295
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen $114 9.3%
Puerto Rico $133 6.9% 17% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen $75 6.1%
Puerto Rico $49 2.5% 34.6% $26
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen $52 4.2%
Puerto Rico $45 2.3% 13.9% $7.2
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen $1.1K 36.5%
Puerto Rico $1.2K 31.3% 12.5% $138
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen $602 19.8%
Puerto Rico $873 21.9% 45% $271
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen $631 20.8%
Puerto Rico $869 21.8% 37.6% $238
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen $161 5.3%
Puerto Rico $500 12.5% 211% $339
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen $254 8.3%
Puerto Rico $297 7.4% 17% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen $180 5.9%
Puerto Rico $112 2.8% 37.8% $68
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen $105 3.5%
Puerto Rico $92 2.3% 12.4% $13
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
Weather
Population
149,923
3,285,874
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Playa del Carmen Puerto Rico 2,210 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
- Playa del Carmen
- Puerto Rico
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 other spots: cost of living compared
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,351
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Krakow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,811
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,203
/mo nomad
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