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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,587 per month in Wicklow vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,802 per month in Wicklow vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,017 per month in Wicklow vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wicklow costs about 94% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Wicklow sits 89% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.46 €14.08

$13.02 MX$221

26.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.5 €80.8

$46.25 MX$784

104.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 €7.89

$12.59 MX$213

-26.69%

Cappuccino

$4.31 €3.68

$4.00 MX$67.9

7.75%

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

$2.59 €2.21

$1.42 MX$24.08

82.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$0.81 MX$13.73

153.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.07

$3.05 MX$51.7

132.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 €5.17

$6.82 MX$116

-11.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.71 MX$29.04

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.22 MX$37.62

-23.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.72 MX$29.13

19.19%

Eggs

$4.64 €3.97

$2.71 MX$45.99

71.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 €13.10

$9.37 MX$159

63.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.86 MX$150

17.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 €6.76

$12.78 MX$217

-38.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 €2.85

$3.13 MX$53.0

6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$1.55 MX$26.24

82.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.89

$2.15 MX$36.51

56.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 €4.35

$2.35 MX$39.89

116.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 €1.97

$2.02 MX$34.23

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.99 MX$33.67

-14.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.24 MX$21.09

7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.19 MX$20.21

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.69 €17.70

$4.65 MX$78.8

344.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 €11.74

$10.47 MX$177

31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.93

$1.58 MX$26.82

43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.92

$2.92 MX$49.48

16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 €2.61

$0.56 MX$9.53

444.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 €2.12

$5.32 MX$90.2

-53.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.37

$3.72 MX$63.0

-56.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.86 €28.96

$5.78 MX$97.9

485.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.55 MX$26.27

40.65%

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

$38.3K €32.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

71.33%

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

$38.7K €33.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

51.38%

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

$230 €196

$89.3 MX$1,513

157.07%

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

$22.97 €19.65

$23.30 MX$395

-1.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.62 €29.61

$31.72 MX$538

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 €52.5

$68.8 MX$1,165

-10.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 €11.98

$5.06 MX$85.7

176.68%

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

$1,118 €956

$222 MX$3,765

403.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,536 €4,736

$4,293 MX$72.7K

28.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.1

$46.21 MX$783

122.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 €29.96

$44.43 MX$753

-21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 €59.9

$95.5 MX$1,618

-26.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$92.5 MX$1,568

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 €1,468

$1,069 MX$18.1K

60.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 €1,191

$393 MX$6,663

254.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 €2,625

$1,988 MX$33.7K

54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 €2,113

$1,304 MX$22.1K

89.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,745 €4,915

$747 MX$12.7K

669.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.11

11.6

-64.57%

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

Last update for Wicklow: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Wicklow versus $1,069 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 669% higher in Wicklow, 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 $94.0 in Wicklow versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Wicklow is pricier by about 94%, 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 $3,880 per month in Wicklow and $1,995 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 $2,587 in Wicklow and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,118 per month in Wicklow and $222 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 $1,330, than in Wicklow at $2,587. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wicklow 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, Wicklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.