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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,866 per month in Thames vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,899 per month in Thames vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,931 per month in Thames vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thames costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thames sits 39% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 NZ$25.23

$11.73 MX$203

27.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.1 NZ$130

$41.62 MX$720

85.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 NZ$15.88

$10.64 MX$184

-11.65%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.70

$3.52 MX$60.9

-3.98%

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

$2.28 NZ$3.86

$1.51 MX$26.12

50.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$0.97 MX$16.84

127.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 NZ$12.33

$2.95 MX$51.0

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 NZ$12.11

$4.45 MX$77.0

61.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$2.94

$1.38 MX$23.93

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$1.89 MX$32.72

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.42

$1.64 MX$28.32

23.78%

Eggs

$6.82 NZ$11.51

$2.51 MX$43.34

171.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.00

$8.34 MX$144

6.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.35

$8.34 MX$144

16.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 NZ$22.25

$10.73 MX$186

22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.95

$2.60 MX$45.04

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.81

$1.46 MX$25.20

54.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.63

$1.90 MX$32.87

75.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NZ$6.72

$2.08 MX$35.91

91.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.50

$1.78 MX$30.71

16.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$2.19 MX$37.80

-24.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NZ$3.20

$1.04 MX$17.99

81.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.49 NZ$43.03

$4.08 MX$70.6

524.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 NZ$16.91

$10.32 MX$178

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 NZ$4.99

$1.71 MX$29.61

72.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 NZ$6.52

$2.58 MX$44.54

49.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.59

$0.51 MX$8.81

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 NZ$108

$26.46 MX$458

142.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 NZ$3.62

$3.26 MX$56.4

-34.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.25

$2.49 MX$43.09

-22.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.69 NZ$58.6

$3.25 MX$56.2

967.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$1.31 MX$22.61

25.95%

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

$28.4K NZ$48.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-6.19%

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

$22.3K NZ$37.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-4.97%

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

$141 NZ$239

$82.9 MX$1,433

70.47%

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

$30.14 NZ$50.9

$22.22 MX$384

35.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.45 NZ$81.8

$29.34 MX$507

65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.47 NZ$61.6

$51.6 MX$893

-29.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.89 NZ$20.08

$18.32 MX$317

-35.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 NZ$25.63

$5.07 MX$87.6

199.41%

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

$900 NZ$1,519

$201 MX$3,473

348.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$22.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

159.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 NZ$117

$36.92 MX$639

88.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.36 NZ$83.3

$39.79 MX$688

24.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 NZ$163

$78.5 MX$1,357

23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NZ$212

$87.1 MX$1,506

44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 NZ$1,653

$973 MX$16.8K

0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 NZ$1,305

$468 MX$8,090

65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,545 NZ$2,608

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 NZ$2,434

$1,221 MX$21.1K

18.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,612 NZ$7,786

$3,946 MX$68.3K

16.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,448 NZ$5,821

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-46.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

11.42

-44.22%

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

Last update for Thames: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Thames 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Thames versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

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

Yes – Thames is pricier by about 44%, 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 $2,799 per month in Thames and $1,945 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 $1,866 in Thames and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Thames at $1,866. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames 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, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.