Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $997 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,598 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,199 in Somerset West, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Somerset West are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Somerset West 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.31 R 135

41.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$39.47 R 641

5.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.03 R 81.8

111.53%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.96 R 31.90

79.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.80 R 12.97

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.87 R 14.16

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.58 R 41.98

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.54 R 41.32

75.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.89 R 14.39

55.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.91 R 14.80

107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.87 R 30.37

-12.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.13 R 34.57

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.62 R 124

9.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.87 R 79.1

71.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.37 R 120

45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.57 R 25.59

65.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.48 R 24.13

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.45 R 23.59

31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.59 R 25.89

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.09 R 17.67

63.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.23 R 19.98

78.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.10 R 17.81

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.99 R 16.03

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.13 R 50.9

30.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.00 R 97.6

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.41 R 22.99

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.65 R 26.83

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.63 R 26.44

-68.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.36 R 22.15

139.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.00 R 16.19

149.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.42 R 71.8

-26.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.25 R 20.39

4.80%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.7K R 319.8K

53.86%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.0K R 358.0K

6.36%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$69.5 R 1,129

19.31%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$29.26 R 475

-24.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$40.77 R 663

-28.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$38.58 R 627

33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.68 R 108

-24.10%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$216 R 3,505

-6.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,368 R 54.7K

54.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.23 R 508

18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.27 R 443

45.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$66.6 R 1,081

17.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$63.9 R 1,038

36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$619 R 10.1K

57.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$386 R 6,280

21.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,254 R 20.4K

30.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$853 R 13.9K

43.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,246 R 20.3K

216.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$915 R 14.9K

610.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,445 R 23.5K

-54.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.5

8.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $619 in Somerset West. 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 118% higher in Somerset West, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $178 – making Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,495 in Somerset West. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Somerset West, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $997 in Somerset West. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $216 in Somerset West. 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 Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $997, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Somerset West it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Somerset West – 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 Somerset West. 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.