๐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,899 in Walldรผrn, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,906 in Walldรผrn, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,913 in Walldรผrn, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Walldรผrn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Walldรผrn is 41% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$14.03โฌ12.09
-15.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$57.2โฌ49.29
-25.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$11.82โฌ10.19
-9.90%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$4.28โฌ3.69
-19.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$3.08โฌ2.65
-51.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$2.92โฌ2.52
-67.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$5.35โฌ4.61
-43.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$5.37โฌ4.63
-14.15%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.22โฌ1.06
13.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$2.34โฌ2.02
-20.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.25โฌ1.94
-28.44%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.80โฌ3.28
-31.84%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$14.65โฌ12.63
-43.62%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$8.26โฌ7.12
1.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$20.84โฌ17.96
-48.85%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$3.26โฌ2.81
-19.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.87โฌ1.61
-20.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$2.32โฌ2.00
-17.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$5.21โฌ4.49
-59.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.50โฌ1.29
24.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.47โฌ1.27
53.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$1.89โฌ1.63
-43.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.37โฌ0.32
194.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$9.44โฌ8.14
-56.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$6.52โฌ5.61
59.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.02โฌ0.88
68.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.18โฌ1.02
121.19%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$3.37โฌ2.90
-83.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$63.0โฌ54.2
-57.20%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$5.87โฌ5.05
-46.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$2.26โฌ1.94
11.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$34.76โฌ29.95
-90.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$2.04โฌ1.76
-37.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$31.6Kโฌ27.3K
-4.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$38.2Kโฌ33.0K
-38.39%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$289โฌ249
-71.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$28.60โฌ24.64
-20.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$28.52โฌ24.57
3.30%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$39.11โฌ33.70
30.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$22.76โฌ19.61
-19.46%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$15.10โฌ13.01
-67.35%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$523โฌ450
-62.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$9,713โฌ8,369
-45.64%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$74.6โฌ64.3
-50.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$36.96โฌ31.84
7.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$109โฌ93.9
-26.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$124โฌ107
-27.64%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$832โฌ717
14.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$664โฌ572
-28.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$1,564โฌ1,348
5.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$1,227โฌ1,057
-0.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$4,704โฌ4,053
-16.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$3,794โฌ3,269
70.24%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Walldรผrn
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
3.47
229.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Last update for Walldรผrn: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $832 in Walldรผrn. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Walldรผrn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $310 โ 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 Walldรผrn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walldรผrn cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Walldรผrn is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,849 in Walldรผrn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Walldรผrn?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,899 in Walldรผrn. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 134% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Walldรผrn?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Walldรผrn at $1,899. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Walldรผrn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Walldรผrn more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Walldรผrn?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Walldรผrn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared