Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Redcliffe

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,569 in Redcliffe, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Redcliffe, Australia
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Redcliffe
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,569
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Redcliffe

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 Redcliffe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,569 in Redcliffe, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Redcliffe $2,569

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,471 in Redcliffe, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Redcliffe $3,471

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,372 in Redcliffe, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Redcliffe $4,372

Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper than Redcliffe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Redcliffe is 89% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$17.70 A$25.27
-38.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$805
$70.6 A$101
-38.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$10.46 A$14.93
12.62%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$70.7
$3.49 A$4.99
9.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.81
$2.39 A$3.41
-46.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.54
$2.05 A$2.92
-61.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$58.8
$7.21 A$10.30
-56.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.7
$6.37 A$9.09
-22.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.12
$1.25 A$1.78
12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.17
$2.08 A$2.98
6.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.32
$2.05 A$2.93
-30.73%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$46.85
$3.54 A$5.05
-28.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$8.74 A$12.48
-16.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$8.19 A$11.70
-5.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$15.05 A$21.50
-15.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.7
$2.87 A$4.11
-3.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.41
$2.11 A$3.01
-35.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.37
$2.84 A$4.05
-10.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.43
$2.82 A$4.03
-24.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.00
$1.77 A$2.53
9.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.02
$2.09 A$2.98
-9.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.29
$1.72 A$2.45
-33.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
$1.54 A$2.20
-23.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.8
$17.88 A$25.53
-75.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$13.78 A$19.68
-27.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.41
$5.93 A$8.47
-73.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.60
$6.44 A$9.20
-58.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.28
$2.84 A$4.05
-80.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$494
$82.5 A$118
-67.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.3
$2.22 A$3.17
123.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$61.9
$1.62 A$2.31
105.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.5
$35.72 A$51.0
-84.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.82
$1.32 A$1.89
9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$383.8K
$29.9K A$42.7K
-30.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.8K
$26.0K A$37.1K
-9.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,575
$214 A$306
-60.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$435
$30.77 A$43.95
-23.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$532
$53.8 A$76.9
-46.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,059
$55.6 A$79.4
2.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$537
$18.27 A$26.10
58.24%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.4
$13.55 A$19.35
-62.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,836
$1,101 A$1,572
-81.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$72.9K
$11.9K A$17.1K
-67.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$805
$75.9 A$108
-42.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$770
$54.8 A$78.2
-24.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,378
$105 A$150
-29.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,657
$123 A$175
-27.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$1,499 A$2,140
-34.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,072
$1,315 A$1,878
-71.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.7K
$2,212 A$3,159
-22.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,646 A$2,351
-34.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.2K
$5,932 A$8,471
-33.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.4K
$4,631 A$6,613
32.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Redcliffe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.69
101.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Redcliffe: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Redcliffe
$1.3K 245% $934
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Redcliffe
$325 27.8% $71
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Redcliffe
$281 39.1% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Redcliffe
$299 119% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Redcliffe
$161 44.3% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Redcliffe
$83 22.8% $15
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Redcliffe
$104 106% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,499 in Redcliffe. 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $71 in Redcliffe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $325 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇺 Redcliffe
🕒 Local time
05:37 5:37 AM
20:37 8:37 PM
15 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
10,460
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.7 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.625 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Redcliffe 13,910 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Redcliffe

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 Redcliffe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Redcliffe?
Yes – Redcliffe is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,854 in Redcliffe. 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,499 in Redcliffe.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Redcliffe?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,569 in Redcliffe. That makes Playa del Carmen about 53% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Redcliffe?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Redcliffe at $2,569. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Redcliffe it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Redcliffe more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Playa del Carmen is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 53% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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