PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MX 🇲🇽

Realistic Cost of Living in Playa del Carmen for a couple

Exchange rates used for conversion: 

$1 USD = $17.5 MXN | $1 CAD = $12.55 MXN

💸Average Monthly Total: ~$46,000 MXN (~$2,650 USD / $3,665 CAD)

• Rent: $21,250 MXN ($1,250 USD / $1,728 CAD)

  • What it gets them: A spacious 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment. This price includes their water, gas, internet, and property maintenance in a nice area.

• Electricity (CFE): $5,700 MXN ($335 USD / $463 CAD) every 2 months. This is in the hot summer months. And then dropping down to just $1,200 MXN ($71 USD / $98 CAD) every 2 months in the winter. Keep in mind that there is no central air conditioning in most homes in Mexico. We use a mini split in the room we want cooled. And coastal summer humidity is no joke. If you love a freezing cold apartment, budget extra for the summer months when the AC runs 24/7.

• Groceries: Around $13,600 MXN ($800 USD / $1,105 CAD) monthly. They love to cook at home and splurge on high-end meats and products. You will find that most groceries cost about the same as they do in the USA and Canada- except for imported products which tend to be pricier $

• Eating Out: Only $2,500 MXN ($147 USD / $203 CAD). They mostly eat in, preferring their own kitchen and cooking. Restaurants in Playa del Carmen can range from $7 USD for a full meal to over $50 for a high end restaurant.

• Transportation: $100 to $200 MXN ($6–$12 USD / $8–$16 CAD). Think Colectivos, Ubers, Taxis, Buses, etc..

• Phones: $2,550 MXN ($150 USD / $207 CAD) total for a local Mexican line ($23 USD), plus their U.S. Verizon plan ($127 USD) for two phones and an Apple Watch.

• Healthcare & Fitness: $1,275 MXN ($75 USD / $104 CAD) every three months for dental cleanings. They don't pay for local health insurance; their medications are covered by Medicare. Just a heads up—Medicare doesn't work at Mexican pharmacies, so expats who do this usually maintain a US address and cross the border or fly back periodically to stock up! And their main exercise is walking.

• Shopping/Misc: $1,700 MXN ($100 USD / $138 CAD) for clothing.

Now before you pack your bags, you have to first determine if you qualify for a Mexican Residency Visa to legally be able to live in Mexico. 

But a good rule of thumb is, if you qualify for a mexican residency visa, then you will live very comfortably in Mexico. See the current requirements here. MEXICO RELOCATION GUIDE