Cost of Living Comparison Between Shrewsbury, Shropshire and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shrewsbury, Shropshire and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,081 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,994 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire costs about 61% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Shrewsbury, Shropshire sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.40 £12.22
$11.73 MX$203
39.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.7 £48.97
$41.62 MX$719
57.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.60 £6.41
$10.64 MX$184
-19.17%
Cappuccino
$4.25 £3.16
$3.52 MX$60.8
20.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 £1.96
$1.51 MX$26.09
74.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 £1.25
$0.97 MX$16.82
73.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.51 £4.11
$2.95 MX$51.0
86.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.51 £4.11
$4.45 MX$77.0
23.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 £1.26
$1.38 MX$23.90
22.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 £1.34
$1.89 MX$32.69
-4.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 £1.66
$1.64 MX$28.29
35.37%
Eggs
$3.89 £2.90
$2.51 MX$43.30
54.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.10 £6.04
$8.34 MX$144
-2.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 £6.98
$8.34 MX$144
12.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.47 £7.05
$10.73 MX$185
-11.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 £1.73
$2.60 MX$45.00
-10.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 £0.90
$1.46 MX$25.18
-17.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.48 £1.85
$1.90 MX$32.84
30.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 £0.89
$2.08 MX$35.88
-42.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 £1.04
$1.78 MX$30.68
-21.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 £1.03
$2.19 MX$37.76
-36.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 £0.75
$1.04 MX$17.97
-3.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 £0.96
$1.08 MX$18.60
18.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$16.77 £12.49
$4.08 MX$70.5
311.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.27 £6.90
$10.32 MX$178
-10.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.45 £1.82
$1.71 MX$29.59
43.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 £2.60
$2.58 MX$44.50
35.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 £1.92
$0.51 MX$8.81
405.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.2 £64.9
$26.46 MX$457
229.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.49 £4.09
$3.26 MX$56.4
68.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 £0.90
$2.49 MX$43.05
-51.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.77 £18.46
$3.25 MX$56.1
662.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 £1.41
$1.31 MX$22.59
44.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K £24.7K
$30.3K MX$523.2K
9.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K £23.9K
$23.4K MX$404.9K
36.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$296 £221
$82.9 MX$1,432
257.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.88 £17.05
$22.22 MX$384
2.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.14 £29.90
$29.34 MX$507
36.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$87.6 £65.3
$51.6 MX$892
69.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.19 £8.34
$18.32 MX$317
-38.92%
Cinema Ticket
$13.66 £10.18
$5.07 MX$87.5
169.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,274 £949
$201 MX$3,470
534.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.2K £12.0K
$5,212 MX$90.1K
209.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.2 £45.56
$36.92 MX$638
65.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.58 £30.97
$39.79 MX$688
4.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.3 £63.5
$78.5 MX$1,356
8.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.3 £73.3
$87.1 MX$1,505
12.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,080 £805
$973 MX$16.8K
11.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$872 £650
$468 MX$8,082
86.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,610 £1,199
$1,641 MX$28.4K
-1.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,255 £935
$1,221 MX$21.1K
2.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,978 £2,964
$3,946 MX$68.2K
0.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,028 £2,256
$6,498 MX$112.3K
-53.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,539 £1,891
$664 MX$11.5K
282.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.9
11.42
-48.34%

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

Last update for Shrewsbury, Shropshire: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,080 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $973 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 282% higher in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 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 $66.0 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $249 – 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
Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Shrewsbury, Shropshire?
Yes – Shrewsbury, Shropshire is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,122 per month in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Shrewsbury, Shropshire vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,081 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 229% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Shrewsbury, Shropshire at $2,081. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shrewsbury, Shropshire it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Shrewsbury, Shropshire or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shrewsbury, Shropshire makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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