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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,632 per month in Slough vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,921 per month in Slough vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,209 per month in Slough vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Slough costs about 107% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Slough sits 96% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.09 £14.93
$11.87 MX$204
69.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.0 £64.7
$42.90 MX$736
102.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.68 £7.94
$10.65 MX$183
0.28%
Cappuccino
$4.95 £3.68
$3.45 MX$59.2
43.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 £2.12
$1.50 MX$25.81
90.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 £1.72
$0.95 MX$16.28
143.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.07 £4.52
$3.03 MX$51.9
100.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.62 £4.92
$4.61 MX$79.1
43.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 £1.05
$1.38 MX$23.61
2.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.85 MX$31.70
-25.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.63 £1.96
$1.61 MX$27.65
63.35%
Eggs
$3.37 £2.51
$2.59 MX$44.51
30.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.86 £7.33
$8.26 MX$142
19.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 £5.92
$8.37 MX$144
-4.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.21 £9.83
$10.66 MX$183
23.92%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 £2.22
$2.63 MX$45.12
13.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 £1.11
$1.49 MX$25.53
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 £2.15
$1.92 MX$32.94
50.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.22 £2.40
$2.09 MX$35.81
54.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 £1.12
$1.86 MX$31.88
-19.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 £1.17
$2.26 MX$38.81
-30.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 £0.70
$1.06 MX$18.23
-11.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 £1.08
$1.09 MX$18.67
33.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.34 £15.12
$4.15 MX$71.2
390.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.59 £7.13
$10.39 MX$178
-7.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 £1.69
$1.72 MX$29.59
32.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 £2.04
$2.61 MX$44.85
4.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.61 £4.17
$0.54 MX$9.30
938.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$91.5 £68.0
$26.94 MX$462
239.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.99 £4.46
$3.13 MX$53.7
91.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 £1.01
$2.51 MX$43.09
-46.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.90 £11.08
$3.15 MX$54.1
373.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.91 £1.42
$1.27 MX$21.88
50.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.1K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
28.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.6K £30.9K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
76.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$298 £222
$83.0 MX$1,425
258.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.24 £14.30
$22.71 MX$390
-15.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.45 £30.08
$29.46 MX$506
37.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.33 £26.27
$51.0 MX$875
-30.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.38 £2.51
$18.33 MX$315
-81.56%
Cinema Ticket
$16.09 £11.96
$4.93 MX$84.5
226.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,869 £1,390
$197 MX$3,386
847.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.7K £16.9K
$5,280 MX$90.6K
330.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.9 £62.4
$36.90 MX$633
127.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.11 £29.82
$39.89 MX$685
0.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.7 £67.4
$80.0 MX$1,373
13.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.0 £72.1
$89.5 MX$1,536
8.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,604 £1,192
$956 MX$16.4K
67.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,369 £1,018
$477 MX$8,189
187.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,084 £2,293
$1,646 MX$28.3K
87.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,423 £1,801
$1,225 MX$21.0K
97.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.3K £20.3K
$3,918 MX$67.2K
597.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$20.1K £14.9K
$6,459 MX$110.9K
211.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Slough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,933 £2,181
$667 MX$11.4K
339.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.45
11.42
-52.28%

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

Last update for Slough: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Slough versus $956 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 340% higher in Slough, 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 $87.0 in Slough versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $250 – 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
Slough vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Slough?
Yes – Slough is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $3,949 per month in Slough and $1,906 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 Slough vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,632 in Slough and $1,271 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 240% 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 Slough or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Slough at $2,632. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Slough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Slough 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 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, Slough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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