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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $597 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $901 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,205 in Wote, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 117% more than Wote, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Wote 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.03 KES 392

287.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$38.38 KES 4,967

8.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.98 KES 903

49.14%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.52 KES 196

137.50%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.40 KES 52.3

265.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.24 KES 31.25

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.13 KES 276

37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.30 KES 298

100.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.80 KES 104

78.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.57 KES 73.3

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.44 KES 186

9.03%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.36 KES 177

94.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$4.59 KES 594

83.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.21 KES 803

38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$5.65 KES 731

94.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.03 KES 392

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.04 KES 135

45.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.07 KES 268

-7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.61 KES 78.5

255.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.52 KES 67.6

259.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.12 KES 145

99.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.65 KES 84.6

66.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.56 KES 72.0

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.02 KES 391

37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$11.81 KES 1,529

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.22 KES 287

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.73 KES 353

-7.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.59 KES 205

101.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.52 KES 196

61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.87 KES 371

11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.52 KES 197

-13.16%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

40.87%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

16.55%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$34.06 KES 4,407

138.84%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$16.60 KES 2,148

35.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$39.19 KES 5,071

-23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.34 KES 821

-18.61%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$154 KES 19.9K

31.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$8,033 KES 1.0M

-33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$11.67 KES 1,510

205.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$7.66 KES 991

427.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$19.46 KES 2,518

304.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$23.26 KES 3,010

273.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$176 KES 22.8K

438.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$191 KES 24.7K

150.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$774 KES 100.1K

109.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$268 KES 34.7K

355.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.84

-23.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Wote: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $176 in Wote. 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 $38.00 in Wote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $173 – making Wote 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 Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 117%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $895 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $597 in Wote. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 in Wote. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – 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 Wote. 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.