Mexico : Cost of Living by City
Cost of Living in Mexico
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Cancun?
Cancun can be considered expensive and definitely more expensive than Mexico City and many places elsewhere in Mexico.
Of course it depends on what part of Cancun you are going to live in, and just like in any other city in the world, there are rich and a less rich neighborhoods to live in.
Many people choose to go to Playa del Carmen, a half hour south, which is pretty and sophisticated and attracts many tourists, Europeans and Mexicans and apart from all of this – is much less expensive when it comes to renting or buying.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Cancun
RESTAURANTS
Eating out is relatively cheap in Cancun! You can eat street food for less than a dollar, and you can also have a meal in a decent restaurant for around 5$. There are also many US originated fast food restaurants in Cancun where you can have a cheap meal. You can also have very nice beers on tap, for not a lot of money.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $5.24 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $1.57 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.65 |
MARKETS
You can find many delicious groceries on the shelves of Cancun’s markets, so apart from saving some money, you’ll have a chance to make some delicious Mexican meals by yourself. Groceries, in general are much cheaper than eating outside, plus you know exactly what you’re eating. All basic ingredients cost less than 2$, and you can find fresh fruit and veggies on open markets.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.94 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.44 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.25 |
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation in Cancun is very cheap. You can take a bus that goes back and forth from one hotel area to another for about 0.60$ per trip (don’t forget that this local musicians making your trip a singing pleasure). A one-way ticket costs less than a dollar, while a monthly ticket costs only about 20$.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $0.55 |
| Monthly Pass | $20.94 |
| Gasoline | $0.99 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are cheap in Cancun, but it does depend on the size of your apartment. Generally speaking, if you’re living in an apartment of about 85m2 your utilities including electricity, gas, water, heating and cooling will cost you less than 40$. The internet service is fast and costs around 25$.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $37.47 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.05 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $27.79 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
Fitness and practicing sports is expensive everywhere and this applies to every city and country, and so it applies to Cancun, too. If you want to become a member of a gym or a fitness club, expect it to cost around 40$, though cinema tickets are much cheaper than expected: if you want to go to the movies, prepare 3.50$ for your ticket.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $40.04 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $9.29 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $3.87 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Luckily, at least shopping for clothes and shoes isn’t too expensive: it isn’t cheap either, but at least it’s not through the roof. You can find quality jeans like Levi’s for only 40$, while a pair of quality running shoes of brands like Nike cost around 70$. Light pieces of clothing like summer dresses and shirts cost a little above 20$.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $41.83 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $24.87 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $73.82 |
RENT PER MONTH
Rent isn’t really cheap in Cancun, but it all depends on where you want to live and how big you want your apartment to be. You can also choose between a furnished and unfurnished ones. In general, a one-bedroom apartment in the city center will cost you around 350$, while one outside of the city center will be closer to 200$.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $357.74 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $221.62 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $731.29 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Cancun?
Food is definitely how the average person in Mexico spends the biggest part of their salary.
The next thing that draws the biggest bulk of money from the people of Cancun is definitely rent.
The fact that rent is second to food only means that though it isn’t the highest expense in this city it is definitely among the most expensive tolls on people’s salaries.
Restaurants are the third on the pie chart of expenses, followed by transportation which is an everyday necessity.
People of Cancun spend more money on sports and leisure than on utilities.
Average Costs Breakdown
Cancun: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Minimum wage in Cancun is around 130$ which is extremely low and definitely not high enough to be able to cover all of your costs in Cancun.
While the average monthly net salary is around 550$ which allows for residents of Cancun to live without having to worry about their existence, there’s still a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the influx of money.
If you’re planning on going to Cancun for a period of time, you can bring around 1000$ for a month and that should definitely suffice.
Cancun Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Cancun Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | LOW |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | MEDIUM |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | MEDIUM |
| TERRORISM RISK | LOW |
| SCAMS RISK | MEDIUM |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| TAP WATER RISK | HIGH |
Cost of Living by City in Mexico
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Guadalajara |
31.46 |
| Merida |
29.39 |
| Mexico City |
37.3 |
| Monterrey |
34.12 |
| Puebla |
28.89 |
| Puerto Vallarta |
29.82 |
| Queretaro |
31.01 |
| Tijuana |
37.3 |
It’s disheartening to see how the cost of living keeps pushing people away from the places they love. The contrast between Cancun and Playa del Carmen really highlights how the beauty of a place can come at such a steep price. I can’t help but feel for those who are being priced out of their own paradise.
It’s crazy how location can impact costs so much. You might think you’re just around the corner in Cancun, but the price differences can be huge!
Have you found that the costs of living in Cancun are worth it compared to the experiences you can have there? It seems like Playa del Carmen is a great alternative, but does it feel significantly different in terms of lifestyle and amenities?