Cost of Living Comparison Between Princes Town and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Princes Town and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Princes Town vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,800 per month in Princes Town vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,494 per month in Princes Town vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Princes Town is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Princes Town and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Princes Town 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 TTD 70.6

$11.73 MX$202

-10.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 TTD 456

$41.78 MX$719

61.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 TTD 51.4

$10.41 MX$179

-26.90%

Cappuccino

$3.03 TTD 20.45

$3.61 MX$62.1

-16.07%

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

$0.86 TTD 5.78

$1.46 MX$25.06

-41.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.18

$0.97 MX$16.70

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 TTD 11.12

$2.92 MX$50.3

-43.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 TTD 15.76

$4.62 MX$79.5

-49.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 TTD 11.75

$1.43 MX$24.59

21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 TTD 14.17

$1.90 MX$32.70

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.33

$1.57 MX$26.95

44.59%

Eggs

$2.80 TTD 18.93

$2.64 MX$45.34

6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.46

$8.44 MX$145

-65.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 TTD 71.5

$8.58 MX$148

23.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 TTD 95.9

$11.00 MX$189

29.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 TTD 39.20

$2.70 MX$46.51

114.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 TTD 9.90

$1.51 MX$25.92

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.76

$1.91 MX$32.93

123.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 TTD 32.11

$2.17 MX$37.37

118.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 TTD 9.60

$1.87 MX$32.25

-24.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.63

$2.23 MX$38.43

-22.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 TTD 8.16

$1.08 MX$18.60

12.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TTD 9.11

$1.07 MX$18.47

26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 TTD 39.13

$4.16 MX$71.6

39.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 TTD 128

$10.29 MX$177

84.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.89

$1.68 MX$28.95

30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 TTD 18.95

$2.53 MX$43.59

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 TTD 8.77

$0.55 MX$9.53

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 TTD 6.81

$3.20 MX$55.0

-68.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 TTD 8.27

$2.46 MX$42.37

-50.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 TTD 12.05

$3.20 MX$55.0

-44.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.71

$1.32 MX$22.72

-13.64%

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

$34.1K TTD 230.3K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

13.04%

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

$38.6K TTD 260.7K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

64.96%

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

$80.9 TTD 547

$81.4 MX$1,400

-0.52%

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

$46.94 TTD 317

$22.41 MX$386

109.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 TTD 424

$29.97 MX$516

109.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.85 TTD 303

$51.6 MX$887

-13.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 TTD 43.93

$5.16 MX$88.9

25.97%

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

$180 TTD 1,217

$202 MX$3,471

-10.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,271 TTD 49.1K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

36.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 TTD 400

$35.61 MX$613

66.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 TTD 262

$40.37 MX$695

-4.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 TTD 644

$78.6 MX$1,353

21.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 TTD 601

$86.9 MX$1,495

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 TTD 2,005

$950 MX$16.3K

-68.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 TTD 1,526

$478 MX$8,227

-52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$658 TTD 4,448

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 TTD 3,003

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-63.64%

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 %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Princes Town: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Princes Town versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $67.0 in Princes Town versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $254 – 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

Princes Town vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,661 per month in Princes Town and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Princes Town, 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 $1,107 in Princes Town and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Princes Town and $202 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Princes Town, where all-in costs run around $1,107, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Princes Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Princes Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Princes Town. 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.