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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $910 in Springs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,486 in Springs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,062 in Springs, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Springs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Springs are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Springs 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.50 R 138

38.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.02 R 553

22.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.90 R 79.6

117.14%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.13 R 34.60

65.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 R 14.46

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.63 R 10.32

53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.70 R 27.61

73.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.97 R 32.08

125.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.18 R 19.24

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.00 R 16.22

89.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.61 R 26.20

1.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.47 R 40.10

1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.51 R 106

28.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.45 R 72.3

87.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.52 R 106

64.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.95 R 15.45

173.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.86 R 14.03

69.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.14 R 18.59

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.09 R 17.68

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.36 R 22.02

30.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.17 R 18.95

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.14 R 18.50

-8.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.15 R 18.76

-6.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.77 R 45.04

47.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.10 R 66.7

151.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.09 R 17.73

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.72 R 28.03

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.62 R 26.27

-68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.44 R 23.42

126.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.33 R 21.67

87.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.01 R 48.96

7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.26 R 20.42

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.6K R 318.2K

54.65%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.7K R 417.8K

-8.87%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$123 R 2,003

-32.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.05 R 602

-40.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$38.24 R 621

-23.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$36.52 R 593

41.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.77 R 126

-34.75%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$85.1 R 1,383

135.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,671 R 27.2K

211.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.77 R 809

-25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$32.31 R 525

23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$87.3 R 1,419

-10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$89.3 R 1,451

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$262 R 4,250

271.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$257 R 4,170

82.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$681 R 11.1K

140.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$644 R 10.5K

89.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,551 R 25.2K

154.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$704 R 11.4K

822.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,148 R 18.7K

-42.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.62

7.53%

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 Springs: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Springs. 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 73% higher in Springs, 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 $34.00 in Springs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $161 – making Springs 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 Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,365 in Springs. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Springs, 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 $910 in Springs. 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 $85.1 in Springs. 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 Springs, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Springs it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Springs – 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 Springs. 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.