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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,076 in Side, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Side, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,208 in Side, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Side, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Side are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Side 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$7.79 ₺350

49.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$23.29 ₺1,047

79.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$6.18 ₺278

68.28%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.64 ₺119

36.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.74 ₺78.0

-15.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.47 ₺21.24

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$3.14 ₺141

-3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$4.10 ₺184

9.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.84 ₺37.96

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.98 ₺44.13

87.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.88 ₺39.38

82.95%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.77 ₺79.5

45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.38 ₺377

1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.33 ₺240

59.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$16.31 ₺733

-32.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.01 ₺45.32

170.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.09 ₺93.9

-28.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.73 ₺32.71

168.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.11 ₺49.76

90.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.56 ₺24.97

232.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.45 ₺20.33

382.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.27 ₺56.9

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.34 ₺15.30

208.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.05 ₺92.0

104.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.72 ₺392

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.70 ₺76.6

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.12 ₺95.3

17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.63 ₺28.09

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$30.68 ₺1,379

-14.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.08 ₺48.74

187.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.61 ₺27.31

303.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.65 ₺344

-57.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.16 ₺52.0

8.62%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$40.1K ₺1.8M

-24.72%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$42.7K ₺1.9M

-45.04%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$48.43 ₺2,177

73.43%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.03 ₺361

176.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$6.49 ₺292

356.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$42.64 ₺1,917

23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$6.47 ₺291

-23.49%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$619 ₺27.8K

-67.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$8,974 ₺403.4K

-40.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$75.2 ₺3,379

-52.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$45.66 ₺2,053

-12.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$163 ₺7,318

-51.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$112 ₺5,025

-22.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$513 ₺23.0K

90.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$395 ₺17.8K

19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$889 ₺40.0K

79.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$702 ₺31.6K

73.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,382 ₺62.1K

191.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,010 ₺45.4K

551.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-42.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Side: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $513 in Side. 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $23 in Side. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $198 – making Side 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 Side: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,614 in Side. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Side, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,076 in Side. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Side. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Side, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Side it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Side – 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 Side. 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.