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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $904 in Yala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,453 in Yala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,002 in Yala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Yala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Yala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Yala 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.50 ฿49.97

681.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.34 ฿912

53.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.42 ฿214

63.71%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.08 ฿69.3

72.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.58 ฿19.46

160.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.18 ฿5.84

411.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.43 ฿81.0

21.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.80 ฿127

16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.68 ฿56.1

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.36 ฿45.29

38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.27 ฿42.25

22.83%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.12 ฿70.7

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$18.79 ฿627

-55.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.05 ฿102

173.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.73 ฿358

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.11 ฿104

-12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.22 ฿40.61

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.97 ฿65.8

-5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.60 ฿53.4

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.46 ฿48.70

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.25 ฿41.84

78.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.02 ฿33.87

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 ฿17.44

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.43 ฿148

-5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.69 ฿590

-41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.82 ฿60.7

-8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.68 ฿89.4

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.60 ฿20.09

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.10 ฿36.71

180.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.20 ฿39.98

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.32 ฿211

-50.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.06 ฿35.24

23.58%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.7K ฿925.0K

7.50%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.1K ฿903.0K

-13.84%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$77.4 ฿2,580

5.08%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$12.43 ฿415

81.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$18.82 ฿628

59.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$48.72 ฿1,625

8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.37 ฿413

48.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.17 ฿239

-31.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$295 ฿9,839

-31.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,683 ฿323.0K

-46.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$34.19 ฿1,140

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$34.60 ฿1,154

15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$100 ฿3,349

-20.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$71.3 ฿2,377

21.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$427 ฿14.3K

128.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$282 ฿9,411

66.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$808 ฿26.9K

104.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$643 ฿21.5K

87.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,780 ฿59.4K

122.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,418 ฿47.3K

365.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.45

109.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Yala: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $427 in Yala. 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 $27.00 in Yala. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $254 in Yala – 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 Yala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,355 in Yala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yala, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $904 in Yala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $295 in Yala. 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 Yala, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Yala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yala – 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 Yala. 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.