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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Xilitla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,311 in Xilitla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,190 in Xilitla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 9% cheaper than Xilitla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Xilitla is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$16.42 MX$279

-27.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$43.62 MX$740

8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$11.21 MX$190

4.82%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.96 MX$67.2

4.04%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.80 MX$30.59

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.14 MX$19.38

-20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.89 MX$65.9

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.60 MX$112

7.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.58 MX$26.85

6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.55 MX$60.3

-39.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.01 MX$34.01

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.22 MX$54.6

-12.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.67 MX$147

6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$13.39 MX$227

-31.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$19.33 MX$328

-34.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.21 MX$71.4

-29.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.75 MX$29.69

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.17 MX$53.8

-29.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.01 MX$51.1

-21.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.14 MX$36.23

-7.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.28 MX$55.6

-39.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.21 MX$20.48

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.47 MX$24.89

-17.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.59 MX$77.9

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$17.69 MX$300

-40.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.55 MX$43.29

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.21 MX$71.4

-34.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.70 MX$11.81

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.74 MX$80.3

10.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$4.80 MX$81.4

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$11.77 MX$200

-50.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.53 MX$26.03

0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.8K MX$387.3K

-0.13%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.1K MX$442.1K

-0.96%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$43.87 MX$744

106.68%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.02 MX$289

48.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$43.54 MX$739

-27.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$36.45 MX$618

88.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.77 MX$369

34.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.25 MX$123

-32.97%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$377 MX$6,392

-40.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,232 MX$88.8K

-19.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$71.7 MX$1,217

-33.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$63.5 MX$1,077

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$120 MX$2,044

-33.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$154 MX$2,608

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$646 MX$11.0K

68.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$411 MX$6,969

-0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,112 MX$18.9K

77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$836 MX$14.2K

53.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,003 MX$34.0K

101.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,257 MX$21.3K

433.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.05

-4.98%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Xilitla: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $646 in Xilitla. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Xilitla. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $374 in Xilitla – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Xilitla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Xilitla is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,147 in Xilitla. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,431 in Xilitla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $377 in Xilitla. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Xilitla at $1,431. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Xilitla 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, Xilitla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.