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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,908 in Thames, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,931 in Thames, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,954 in Thames, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Thames, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Thames is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$15.02 NZ$25.72

-20.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$78.1 NZ$134

-46.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.53 NZ$16.32

12.80%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.44 NZ$5.88

1.74%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.37 NZ$4.06

-38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-61.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$7.36 NZ$12.60

-59.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$7.20 NZ$12.32

-37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.81 NZ$3.09

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.05 NZ$3.51

-10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-21.50%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$6.70 NZ$11.47

-62.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.91 NZ$15.26

-7.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$9.69 NZ$16.59

-13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$12.94 NZ$22.16

-17.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.79 NZ$4.78

-6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.26 NZ$3.87

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.25 NZ$5.57

-39.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.08 NZ$6.99

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-10.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.66 NZ$2.83

30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.96 NZ$3.36

-47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.29 NZ$2.20

-17.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$24.89 NZ$42.62

-83.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.51 NZ$18.00

-3.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.96 NZ$5.06

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.99 NZ$6.84

-36.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-75.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$63.6 NZ$109

-59.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.07 NZ$3.55

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.02 NZ$3.45

19.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$35.06 NZ$60.0

-90.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$28.6K NZ$49.0K

3.67%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$22.2K NZ$38.0K

6.67%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$141 NZ$241

-41.81%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$30.17 NZ$51.7

-23.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$49.69 NZ$85.1

-39.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.13 NZ$61.9

43.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$12.14 NZ$20.78

52.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.36 NZ$26.31

-67.58%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$909 NZ$1,557

-78.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$13.8K NZ$23.6K

-61.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$71.2 NZ$122

-50.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$49.32 NZ$84.4

-18.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$98.6 NZ$169

-20.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$127 NZ$217

-29.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$991 NZ$1,696

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$774 NZ$1,326

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,591 NZ$2,724

3.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,404 NZ$2,404

-13.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$4,297 NZ$7,357

-5.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$2,882 NZ$4,935

124.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.37

79.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Thames: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $991 in Thames. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $78.0 in Thames. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $325 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thames is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,863 in Thames. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,908 in Thames. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 144% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Thames at $1,908. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.