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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,186 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,965 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,744 in Somerset West, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Somerset West are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Somerset West 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$12.27 R 196

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$801

$47.27 R 756

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.74 R 91.8

104.70%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.7

$2.12 R 34.00

94.34%

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

$1.40 MX$23.66

$1.07 R 17.07

30.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.43

$0.95 R 15.23

-4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.2

$2.73 R 43.73

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.46 R 55.4

104.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.35

$1.05 R 16.81

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.36

$1.03 R 16.50

108.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.00

$2.13 R 34.16

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.60

$2.34 R 37.44

20.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.95 R 143

2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$5.44 R 87.0

69.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.71 R 155

30.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.90

$1.93 R 30.83

52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.70

$1.99 R 31.86

-20.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.58

$1.71 R 27.34

29.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.96

$1.72 R 27.58

37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.70

$1.57 R 25.09

26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.47

$1.54 R 24.63

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.97

$1.38 R 22.10

-10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$1.06 R 16.97

14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.8

$3.46 R 55.4

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.40 R 102

64.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.60

$1.44 R 22.97

17.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.91

$1.84 R 29.37

50.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.19

$1.21 R 19.31

-50.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

$61.3 R 980

-51.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.5

$0.65 R 10.34

706.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.7

$1.60 R 25.58

128.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.8

$5.06 R 80.9

14.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.01

$1.44 R 22.99

6.94%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$30.3K R 484.3K

-24.66%

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

$25.8K MX$436.5K

$30.0K R 480.2K

-14.00%

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

$90.7 MX$1,533

$86.2 R 1,379

5.21%

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

$25.19 MX$426

$31.45 R 503

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$537

$40.32 R 645

-21.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,163

$46.98 R 752

46.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

$11.11 R 178

164.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.2

$7.44 R 119

-34.68%

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

$226 MX$3,816

$265 R 4,239

-14.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.9K

$3,814 R 61.0K

9.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$801

$32.05 R 513

47.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$735

$31.89 R 510

36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,356

$72.5 R 1,160

10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,545

$59.7 R 955

53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$670 R 10.7K

61.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,910

$436 R 6,984

-6.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

$1,369 R 21.9K

44.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$978 R 15.6K

31.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.4K

$1,316 R 21.1K

207.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.4K

$921 R 14.7K

627.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,476 R 23.6K

-47.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.12

13.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 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 91% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Somerset West. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $209 in Somerset West – so Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,779 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,186 in Somerset West. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Somerset West. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $1,186, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.