Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Retford Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Retford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,159 in Retford, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,360 in Retford, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,560 in Retford, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Retford, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Retford are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Retford 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$15.17 £11.22

-22.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$66.7 £49.37

-30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.35 £5.44

58.50%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$4.11 £3.04

-0.49%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$1.82 £1.35

-24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.84 £1.36

-54.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$4.38 £3.24

-23.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.32 £3.20

59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$1.84 £1.36

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$1.92 £1.42

17.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$1.40 £1.03

26.43%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$4.86 £3.59

-43.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$11.40 £8.43

-19.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.19 £3.10

112.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.76 £9.44

-1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.38 £1.02

118.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$1.37 £1.01

14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$1.35 £1.00

57.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$1.73 £1.28

30.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$1.46 £1.08

36.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$1.56 £1.15

32.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.42 £0.31

180.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$1.60 £1.19

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$23.60 £17.46

-80.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$7.96 £5.89

34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$1.72 £1.27

-5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$2.09 £1.54

37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$2.76 £2.04

-79.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$13.64 £10.09

-60.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$3.99 £2.95

-7.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$2.07 £1.53

-25.12%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$40.4K £29.9K

-44.80%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$44.4K £32.9K

-41.62%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$353 £261

-74.73%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$28.89 £21.38

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$47.34 £35.02

-33.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$16.50 £12.21

-69.39%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$1,986 £1,469

-88.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$24.6K £18.2K

-82.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$87.5 £64.7

-45.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$61.4 £45.46

-26.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$112 £83.0

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$160 £118

-42.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,146 £847

68.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,100 £814

18.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,197 £1,626

81.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$2,039 £1,508

225.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$1,746 £1,292

-57.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.3

116.04%

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 Retford: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 133% higher in Retford, 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 $67.0 in Retford. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $242 in Retford – so Retford 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 Retford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,739 in Retford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,159 in Retford. 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 $1,986 in Retford. 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 Retford, where all-in costs run around $1,159, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Retford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Retford – 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 Retford. 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.