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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,117 in Secunda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,685 in Secunda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,253 in Secunda, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Secunda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Secunda are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Secunda 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.09 R 97.4

92.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$31.27 R 500

48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.71 R 91.3

104.03%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.36 R 37.79

73.31%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.85 R 13.67

61.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.52 R 8.35

59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.10 R 17.65

204.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.35 R 21.67

411.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.23 R 19.68

40.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.93 R 14.89

143.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.87 R 29.94

-5.35%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.61 R 41.74

4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.27 R 132

11.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.10 R 81.5

74.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.35 R 118

71.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.88 R 30.11

60.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.68 R 26.95

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.84 R 29.45

15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.77 R 28.30

27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.30 R 20.82

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.35 R 21.55

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.23 R 19.61

-4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.38 R 22.13

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$3.40 R 54.3

36.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$5.33 R 85.3

100.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.58 R 25.23

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$1.98 R 31.68

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.57 R 25.12

-63.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.32 R 5.15

1603.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.79 R 12.63

368.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$14.76 R 236

-59.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.55 R 24.76

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$37.3K R 596.0K

-40.08%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$34.7K R 555.1K

-25.23%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$154 R 2,458

-42.02%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$38.13 R 610

-34.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$38.26 R 612

-17.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$32.74 R 524

107.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$12.51 R 200

131.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$7.51 R 120

-32.76%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$94.0 R 1,503

139.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,642 R 90.2K

-25.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$54.1 R 864

-12.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$32.79 R 524

37.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$93.6 R 1,497

-12.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$86.3 R 1,381

6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$408 R 6,525

162.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$384 R 6,138

5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$763 R 12.2K

153.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$760 R 12.2K

71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$890 R 14.2K

349.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$657 R 10.5K

909.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,521 R 24.3K

-50.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.34

0.97%

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 Secunda: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $408 in Secunda. 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 103% higher in Secunda, 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 $31.00 in Secunda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $198 – making Secunda 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 Secunda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,675 in Secunda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Secunda, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,117 in Secunda. 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 $94.0 in Secunda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Secunda, where all-in costs run around $1,117, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Secunda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Secunda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Secunda. 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.