Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Xewkija

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,031 in Xewkija, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Xewkija, Malta
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Xewkija
🇲🇹 Malta
$2,031
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Xewkija

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Xewkija actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,031 in Xewkija, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Xewkija $2,031

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,060 in Xewkija, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Xewkija $3,060

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,089 in Xewkija, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Xewkija $4,089

Playa del Carmen is about 41% cheaper than Xewkija, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Xewkija is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$22.03 €19.68
-50.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$805
$89.0 €79.5
-51.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$13.56 €12.11
-13.13%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$70.7
$3.18 €2.84
19.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.81
$2.43 €2.17
-47.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.54
$1.97 €1.76
-60.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$58.8
$5.69 €5.08
-44.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.7
$6.80 €6.07
-27.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.12
$1.36 €1.22
3.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.17
$1.40 €1.25
58.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.32
$3.54 €3.16
-59.89%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$46.85
$4.38 €3.92
-42.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$10.17 €9.08
-28.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$12.11 €10.82
-36.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$18.06 €16.13
-29.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.7
$3.87 €3.46
-28.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.41
$2.73 €2.44
-49.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.37
$3.85 €3.44
-33.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.43
$3.78 €3.38
-43.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.00
$1.87 €1.67
3.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.02
$3.38 €3.02
-44.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.29
$2.26 €2.02
-49.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.89
$1.50 €1.34
-21.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.8
$6.09 €5.44
-29.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$5.96 €5.33
66.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.41
$2.49 €2.23
-36.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.60
$2.31 €2.06
15.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.28
$2.32 €2.07
-76.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.3
$3.86 €3.45
28.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$61.9
$1.82 €1.63
82.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.5
$33.07 €29.54
-83.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.82
$1.54 €1.37
-6.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$383.8K
$27.9K €24.9K
-25.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.8K
$38.5K €34.4K
-39.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,575
$153 €136
-44.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$435
$30.62 €27.35
-23.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$532
$29.03 €25.93
-1.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,059
$70.3 €62.8
-18.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$537
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.4
$11.55 €10.32
-55.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,836
$277 €247
-25.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$72.9K
$12.5K €11.2K
-68.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$805
$58.2 €52.0
-25.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$770
$67.5 €60.3
-38.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,378
$113 €101
-34.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,657
$129 €115
-30.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$1,286 €1,148
-23.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,072
$880 €786
-56.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.7K
$1,712 €1,529
-0.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,350 €1,205
-20.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.2K
$3,502 €3,128
12.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.4K
$3,172 €2,833
94.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Xewkija
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.05
182.72%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Xewkija: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Xewkija
$880 131% $499
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Xewkija
$343 34.6% $88
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Xewkija
$315 55.6% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Xewkija
$212 55.1% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Xewkija
$165 48% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Xewkija
$93 38.8% $26
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Xewkija
$22 * 55.9% $28

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,286 in Xewkija. 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $89 in Xewkija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $343 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇲🇹 Xewkija
🕒 Local time
20:01 8:01 PM
02:01 2:01 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
3,300
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Xewkija 9,630 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Xewkija

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Xewkija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Xewkija?
Yes – Xewkija is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,046 in Xewkija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,286 in Xewkija.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Xewkija?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,031 in Xewkija. That makes Playa del Carmen about 41% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $277 in Xewkija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Xewkija?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Xewkija at $2,031. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Xewkija it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Xewkija more family-friendly?
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.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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