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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $406 per month in Strassen vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,725 per month in Strassen vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,044 per month in Strassen vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Strassen is about 69% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Strassen and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Strassen 70% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 €70.8

$41.62 MX$720

97.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 €12.77

$10.64 MX$184

39.57%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.00

$3.52 MX$60.9

32.10%

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

$2.81 €2.42

$1.51 MX$26.12

86.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$0.97 MX$16.84

113.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.06

$2.95 MX$51.0

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 €3.57

$4.45 MX$77.0

-6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 €0.83

$1.38 MX$23.93

-29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$3.85 €3.31

$2.51 MX$43.34

53.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.46 MX$25.20

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.31 MX$22.61

36.64%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$137 €118

$82.9 MX$1,433

65.72%

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

$17.42 €14.98

$22.22 MX$384

-21.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.15 €39.70

$29.34 MX$507

57.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.66 €17.77

$51.6 MX$893

-59.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 €1,792

$1,221 MX$21.1K

70.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,285 €7,127

$3,946 MX$68.3K

109.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K €9,416

$6,498 MX$112.4K

68.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,963 €5,989

$664 MX$11.5K

948.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.2

11.42

-89.49%

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

Last update for Strassen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 949% higher in Strassen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Strassen versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $33.00 in Strassen vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Strassen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 220%, 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 $609 per month in Strassen and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 650% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Strassen and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Strassen, where all-in costs run around $406, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Strassen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Strassen – 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 Strassen. 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.