Mexico
A vibrant Mexican Caribbean beach town on the Riviera Maya with a walkable Fifth Avenue, cenote swimming, and a more local feel than nearby Cancún.
#175 of 250
55% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 658
Based on NYC = 100 index
Total does not include Housing — no scraped prices there (N/A)
Playa del Carmen is the 175. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 658 for one adult.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is entertainment, 45% below the median: fitness club (monthly) $ 13, cinema ticket $ 4. You also get off lightly on healthcare, transportation.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
43 prices on this page come from live scrapers (10 sources, observed September 28, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/playa-del-carmen. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 8.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Pork (1kg) | 8.49 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Beef (1kg) | 11.19 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 10.87 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 5.23 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Yogurt (150g) | 1.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Cheese (1kg) | 8.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Butter (200g) | 2.75 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Eggs (12) | 1.30 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Bread (500g) | 1.28 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.11 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Rice (1kg) | 1.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Oats (500g) | 1.16 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.21 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 1.64 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 2.88 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.79 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Garlic (1kg) | 2.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Apples (1kg) | 3.28 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Banana (1kg) | 1.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.48 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Lentils (1kg) | 2.05 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 2.38 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.24 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Flour (1kg) | 0.91 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Sugar (1kg) | 2.43 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Coffee (250g) | 4.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Latin American supermarkets (VTEX) |
| Imported Beer (0.33L) | 6.44 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pub & Bar Drinks Menus |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.39 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | National fuel price sources |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 13.35 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Gym Chains, Americas Entertainment Chains |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 21.91 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 2.27 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Global Local Pharmacies, Online Pharmacies (API) |
| Antibiotics (12 doses) | 2.14 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 60.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Americas Local Fashion Stores |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 60.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Americas Local Fashion Stores |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 108.77 / pair | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Americas Local Fashion Stores, Nike.com (live) |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 84.52 / pair | 1 | 2026-09-28 | Americas Local Fashion Stores |
Cities where the money splits the same way
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Similar share of Restaurants & Clothing · compared on 7 of 8 categories
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Similar share of Restaurants & Transportation · compared on 6 of 8 categories
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Similar share of Restaurants & Transportation · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Monthly average costs by category
N/A
$ 146
per month
$ 252
per month
$ 48
per month
$ 121
per month
$ 43
per month
$ 12
per month
$ 36
per month