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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,929 per month in Wollongong vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,776 per month in Wollongong vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,623 per month in Wollongong vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wollongong costs about 54% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Wollongong sits 44% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.81 A$21.22

$11.99 MX$210

23.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.2 A$123

$41.78 MX$733

106.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 A$14.28

$10.75 MX$189

-7.26%

Cappuccino

$3.31 A$4.74

$3.50 MX$61.3

-5.43%

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

$2.56 A$3.67

$1.45 MX$25.41

76.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.22

$0.88 MX$15.52

155.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 A$8.41

$2.95 MX$51.7

98.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 A$10.78

$4.51 MX$79.1

66.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.62

$1.43 MX$25.12

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 A$3.13

$1.84 MX$32.23

19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 A$2.31

$1.57 MX$27.51

2.55%

Eggs

$3.51 A$5.03

$2.51 MX$44.06

39.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 A$14.46

$8.28 MX$145

21.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 A$12.10

$8.43 MX$148

0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 A$20.77

$10.68 MX$187

35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.07

$2.61 MX$45.76

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.64

$1.44 MX$25.22

76.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.29

$1.96 MX$34.41

16.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.85

$2.09 MX$36.74

95.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 A$2.97

$1.85 MX$32.47

11.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.56

$2.17 MX$38.02

-17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 A$3.57

$1.03 MX$18.09

141.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 A$1.46

$1.07 MX$18.84

-4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.03 A$44.46

$4.10 MX$72.0

656.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 A$19.43

$10.17 MX$178

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 A$4.12

$1.68 MX$29.38

70.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$5.04

$2.53 MX$44.31

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 A$3.59

$0.51 MX$8.93

390.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.67 A$68.3

$26.04 MX$457

83.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 A$5.77

$3.23 MX$56.7

24.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 A$2.55

$2.41 MX$42.19

-26.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.78 A$58.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

1162.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.67

$1.32 MX$23.17

-11.36%

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

$28.4K A$40.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-4.31%

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

$22.6K A$32.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-4.67%

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

$184 A$264

$82.0 MX$1,439

124.66%

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

$28.49 A$40.81

$22.95 MX$403

24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.46 A$69.4

$30.11 MX$528

60.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 A$108

$52.0 MX$912

45.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 A$22.09

$18.53 MX$325

-16.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 A$16.92

$4.98 MX$87.3

137.15%

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

$1,557 A$2,231

$197 MX$3,463

688.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K A$19.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

152.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 A$84.9

$35.60 MX$624

66.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 A$79.9

$40.33 MX$707

38.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 A$138

$78.8 MX$1,381

22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$160

$88.9 MX$1,560

25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 A$1,382

$947 MX$16.6K

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 A$1,149

$474 MX$8,314

69.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 A$2,812

$1,644 MX$28.8K

19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 A$1,499

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-13.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,562 A$6,537

$4,056 MX$71.1K

12.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,605 A$5,165

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-44.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,286 A$6,141

$654 MX$11.5K

555.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

11.42

-44.92%

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

Last update for Wollongong: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Wollongong versus $947 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 555% higher in Wollongong, 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 $86.0 in Wollongong versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 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

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

Yes – Wollongong is pricier by about 54%, 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 $2,893 per month in Wollongong and $1,884 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 $1,929 in Wollongong and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 83% 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 $1,256, than in Wollongong at $1,929. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wollongong 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, Wollongong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.