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 $766 per month in Princes Town vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,300 per month in Princes Town vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Princes Town vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Princes Town is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Princes Town and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Princes Town 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 TTD 68.2

$11.60 MX$200

-12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 TTD 394

$47.11 MX$812

24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 TTD 55.2

$11.88 MX$205

-30.98%

Cappuccino

$3.81 TTD 25.62

$3.98 MX$68.6

-4.27%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.43 MX$24.60

-30.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 TTD 5.17

$0.82 MX$14.22

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 TTD 12.72

$3.19 MX$55.0

-40.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 TTD 17.57

$6.79 MX$117

-61.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 TTD 13.77

$1.68 MX$28.89

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 TTD 15.42

$2.20 MX$37.88

4.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 TTD 18.93

$1.71 MX$29.45

64.33%

Eggs

$3.81 TTD 25.64

$2.74 MX$47.26

39.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 TTD 44.38

$9.58 MX$165

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.26 TTD 69.0

$9.01 MX$155

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.67 TTD 58.3

$12.81 MX$221

-32.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.55 TTD 37.32

$2.89 MX$49.81

92.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 TTD 16.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

65.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 TTD 25.35

$2.15 MX$37.03

75.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 TTD 28.12

$2.26 MX$38.96

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 TTD 4.82

$1.98 MX$34.15

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TTD 5.13

$1.99 MX$34.30

-61.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 TTD 9.63

$1.23 MX$21.28

16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TTD 8.12

$1.20 MX$20.63

0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 TTD 36.78

$4.55 MX$78.5

20.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 TTD 118

$10.37 MX$179

68.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 TTD 10.47

$1.62 MX$27.91

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 TTD 19.82

$2.88 MX$49.67

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 TTD 6.01

$5.39 MX$92.9

-83.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 TTD 5.82

$3.73 MX$64.3

-76.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.01 TTD 101

$5.77 MX$99.5

160.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.47

$1.54 MX$26.48

-27.92%

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

$37.1K TTD 249.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

64.41%

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

$41.7K TTD 280.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

59.85%

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

$44.30 TTD 298

$91.4 MX$1,576

-51.52%

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

$42.13 TTD 283

$25.20 MX$435

67.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.22 TTD 304

$31.24 MX$539

44.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 TTD 60.5

$4.86 MX$83.8

84.98%

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

$403 TTD 2,711

$224 MX$3,856

80.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K TTD 73.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

156.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 TTD 369

$47.10 MX$812

16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 TTD 253

$44.29 MX$764

-15.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 TTD 591

$80.1 MX$1,381

9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 TTD 588

$92.7 MX$1,598

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for Princes Town: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Princes Town versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $276 – 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 65%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,149 per month in Princes Town and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $766 in Princes Town and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $403 per month in Princes Town and $224 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 $766, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.