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 $2,718 per month in Wicklow vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,017 per month in Wicklow vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,315 per month in Wicklow vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wicklow costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Wicklow sits 103% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €14.99

$11.94 MX$208

46.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.2 €83.0

$42.75 MX$744

127.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.23 €8.74

$10.59 MX$184

-3.40%

Cappuccino

$4.13 €3.53

$3.62 MX$63.0

14.09%

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

$2.44 €2.09

$1.47 MX$25.54

65.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.31

$0.94 MX$16.41

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 €6.03

$3.09 MX$53.8

128.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.84

$4.46 MX$77.6

27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.43 MX$24.80

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.88 MX$32.79

6.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 €1.84

$1.63 MX$28.34

32.52%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.40

$2.64 MX$45.99

51.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 €10.67

$8.21 MX$143

52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.56 €9.02

$8.29 MX$144

27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 €8.19

$11.10 MX$193

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.65 MX$46.14

10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.78

$1.50 MX$26.11

39.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 €2.41

$1.99 MX$34.59

41.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 €2.90

$2.08 MX$36.13

62.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.79 MX$31.11

-22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$2.18 MX$37.87

-35.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.08 MX$18.73

26.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 €1.36

$1.04 MX$18.04

52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.11 €16.32

$3.97 MX$69.1

381.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.11

$10.20 MX$178

39.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.93

$1.73 MX$30.04

30.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.04

$2.50 MX$43.46

42.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 €2.09

$0.52 MX$9.02

371.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.9 €83.6

$26.97 MX$469

262.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 €2.16

$3.14 MX$54.7

-19.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 €2.36

$2.40 MX$41.80

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.14 €28.30

$3.09 MX$53.7

972.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.71

$1.27 MX$22.16

57.48%

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

$33.8K €28.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

9.55%

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

$39.7K €33.9K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

70.36%

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

$288 €246

$82.0 MX$1,427

250.81%

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

$21.94 €18.74

$22.45 MX$391

-2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 €43.68

$29.66 MX$516

72.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 €51.9

$51.9 MX$903

17.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.66

$4.97 MX$86.5

174.85%

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

$1,049 €896

$198 MX$3,442

430.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,108 €6,925

$5,273 MX$91.7K

53.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 €75.6

$36.34 MX$632

143.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.17 €33.45

$40.05 MX$697

-2.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 €80.4

$79.9 MX$1,390

17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 €89.3

$88.9 MX$1,547

17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 €1,473

$963 MX$16.8K

79.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 €1,192

$465 MX$8,086

200.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,075 €2,626

$1,596 MX$27.8K

92.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 €2,049

$1,209 MX$21.0K

98.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,469 €4,670

$720 MX$12.5K

659.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.77

11.42

-66.99%

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

Last update for Wicklow: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Wicklow versus $963 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 659% 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 $97.0 in Wicklow versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $251 – 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 111%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,077 per month in Wicklow and $1,930 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 $2,718 in Wicklow and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 263% 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 $1,287, than in Wicklow at $2,718. 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.