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 $1,073 per month in Princes Town vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,806 per month in Princes Town vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,540 per month in Princes Town vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Princes Town is about 17% 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 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.38 TTD 70.5

$11.94 MX$209

-13.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 TTD 445

$42.75 MX$748

53.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 TTD 51.1

$10.59 MX$185

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$3.03 TTD 20.61

$3.62 MX$63.4

-16.30%

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

$0.86 TTD 5.81

$1.47 MX$25.69

-41.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 TTD 4.94

$0.94 MX$16.51

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 TTD 10.95

$3.09 MX$54.1

-47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 TTD 15.80

$4.46 MX$78.0

-47.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 TTD 11.85

$1.43 MX$24.94

22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 TTD 13.72

$1.88 MX$32.97

7.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 TTD 15.22

$1.63 MX$28.50

37.42%

Eggs

$2.73 TTD 18.54

$2.64 MX$46.26

3.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.99 TTD 20.28

$8.21 MX$144

-63.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 TTD 72.1

$8.29 MX$145

27.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 TTD 95.4

$11.10 MX$194

26.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.74

$2.65 MX$46.40

120.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.83

$1.50 MX$26.26

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.65

$1.99 MX$34.79

119.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 TTD 31.84

$2.08 MX$36.33

125.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 TTD 10.00

$1.79 MX$31.29

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 TTD 11.63

$2.18 MX$38.09

-21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 TTD 7.87

$1.08 MX$18.84

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TTD 9.15

$1.04 MX$18.15

29.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 TTD 41.20

$3.97 MX$69.5

52.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 TTD 133

$10.20 MX$179

91.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 TTD 14.89

$1.73 MX$30.22

26.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 TTD 18.36

$2.50 MX$43.71

8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 TTD 9.10

$0.52 MX$9.07

157.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.16

$3.14 MX$55.0

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 TTD 8.36

$2.40 MX$42.04

-48.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 TTD 11.75

$3.09 MX$54.0

-44.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.81

$1.27 MX$22.28

-9.45%

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

$34.7K TTD 235.4K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.25%

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

$38.9K TTD 263.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

66.65%

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

$79.7 TTD 541

$82.0 MX$1,435

-2.82%

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

$47.39 TTD 322

$22.45 MX$393

111.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 TTD 418

$29.66 MX$519

107.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.83 TTD 298

$51.9 MX$908

-15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 TTD 45.44

$4.97 MX$87.0

34.61%

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

$177 TTD 1,202

$198 MX$3,462

-10.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,233 TTD 49.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

37.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 TTD 405

$36.34 MX$636

64.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 TTD 263

$40.05 MX$701

-3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 TTD 665

$79.9 MX$1,398

22.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 TTD 609

$88.9 MX$1,555

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 TTD 2,045

$963 MX$16.9K

-68.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 TTD 1,528

$465 MX$8,133

-51.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 TTD 4,540

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-58.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 TTD 3,026

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-63.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $301 in Princes Town versus $963 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 $65.0 in Princes Town versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $251 – 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 20%, 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 $1,609 per month in Princes Town and $1,930 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 $1,073 in Princes Town and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Princes Town and $198 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 $1,073, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.