Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Punta Gorda

For one person, living is cheaper in Punta Gorda: $239 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Punta Gorda, Belize
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Punta Gorda
🇧🇿 Belize
$239
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Punta Gorda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Punta Gorda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $239 in Punta Gorda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Punta Gorda $239

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $460 in Punta Gorda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Punta Gorda $460

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $681 in Punta Gorda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Punta Gorda $681

Playa del Carmen costs about 404% more than Punta Gorda.

Both Playa del Carmen and Punta Gorda are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Punta Gorda 82% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$199
$15.18 BZD 30.36
-29.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$815
$39.86 BZD 79.7
9.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$219
$9.88 BZD 19.76
19.33%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$70.5
$3.53 BZD 7.07
7.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.14
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.51
$1.97 BZD 3.94
-57.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$58.6
$5.86 BZD 11.73
-46.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.8
$3.94 BZD 7.89
25.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$40.86
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.40
-
-
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.47
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$136
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$148
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$239
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$53.9
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.74
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.36
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.78
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.69
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.42
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.30
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.06
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$79.5
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$183
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.51
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.58
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$510
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$88.6
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$60.5
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$100
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.44
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$394.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$432.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,554
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$431
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$514
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,050
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$525
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.1
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,854
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$97.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$809
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$792
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,354
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,645
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.5K
$593 BZD 1,186
67.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,116
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Punta Gorda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Punta Gorda: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Punta Gorda
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Punta Gorda
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Punta Gorda
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Punta Gorda
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Punta Gorda
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Punta Gorda
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Punta Gorda
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $593 in Punta Gorda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $40 in Punta Gorda. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇧🇿 Punta Gorda
🕒 Local time
13:06 1:06 PM
12:06 12:06 PM
1 h behind Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
6,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BZD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.86 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.24 BZD (1 BZD = 0.446 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Punta Gorda 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Punta Gorda

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 Punta Gorda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is cheaper: Playa del Carmen or Punta Gorda?
Playa del Carmen costs about 404% more than Punta Gorda, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $358 in Punta Gorda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Punta Gorda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $593 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Punta Gorda?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $239 in Punta Gorda. That makes Punta Gorda about 80% cheaper.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Punta Gorda?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen and $40 in Punta Gorda. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Punta Gorda?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Punta Gorda, where all-in costs run around $239, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Punta Gorda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Punta Gorda?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $239 in Punta Gorda to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?