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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,385 per month in Rethymno vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,096 per month in Rethymno vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,807 per month in Rethymno vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rethymno costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Rethymno sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.03 €12.96

$11.96 MX$203

25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 €50.2

$47.38 MX$804

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 €9.16

$11.75 MX$199

-9.53%

Cappuccino

$3.69 €3.18

$4.12 MX$70.0

-10.44%

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

$1.71 €1.47

$1.40 MX$23.74

22.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.91 MX$15.48

-39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.78 €4.12

$3.21 MX$54.4

48.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 €4.62

$7.07 MX$120

-24.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 €1.61

$1.68 MX$28.44

10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 €1.28

$2.15 MX$36.48

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.77 MX$30.10

27.12%

Eggs

$4.59 €3.96

$2.82 MX$47.76

62.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 €13.14

$9.20 MX$156

65.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 €8.73

$9.23 MX$157

9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 €13.41

$12.64 MX$214

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.95 MX$50.1

-29.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.58 MX$26.79

37.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 €1.09

$2.22 MX$37.70

-43.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.36 MX$40.09

-22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.99 MX$33.81

-48.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.98 MX$33.58

-50.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 €0.58

$1.24 MX$21.04

-45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.63

$1.21 MX$20.55

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 €3.91

$4.60 MX$78.1

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 €5.41

$10.52 MX$178

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.69 MX$28.70

8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.77 MX$47.06

-31.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.60 MX$10.22

201.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 €3.98

$5.24 MX$88.8

-11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.01

$3.65 MX$61.9

-67.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.55 €9.96

$5.78 MX$98.1

99.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.54 MX$26.09

47.40%

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

$23.0K €19.8K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

0.97%

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

$25.7K €22.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-0.51%

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

$163 €141

$90.7 MX$1,538

79.82%

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

$18.81 €16.21

$25.19 MX$427

-25.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.18 €27.74

$31.75 MX$539

1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 €56.0

$68.8 MX$1,167

-5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 €7.29

$4.86 MX$82.5

74.07%

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

$382 €329

$226 MX$3,828

69.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 €3,658

$4,194 MX$71.1K

1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 €74.9

$47.38 MX$804

83.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.58 €9.98

$43.45 MX$737

-73.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.86 €39.53

$80.2 MX$1,361

-42.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.41 €40.00

$91.4 MX$1,550

-49.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 €496

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-47.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 €392

$409 MX$6,933

11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 €789

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-53.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 €625

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-43.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 €3,710

$4,046 MX$68.6K

6.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,106 €2,678

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-53.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 €1,073

$773 MX$13.1K

60.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

11.45

-62.45%

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

Last update for Rethymno: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Rethymno versus $1,086 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.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Rethymno, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Rethymno versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $278 – 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

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

Yes – Rethymno is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,078 per month in Rethymno and $1,958 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 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 $1,385 in Rethymno and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $382 per month in Rethymno and $226 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Rethymno at $1,385. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rethymno 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, Rethymno makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.