Key information about Playa del Carmen

Population

259,453

Country

Mexico

Money

Currency	MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Exchange rate	1 USD = 20.29 MXN
ATM fees	20 - 30 MXN per transaction (plus your own bank's fees)
Credit cards	Accepted almost everywhere
Tipping	10-15% for restaurants

Airport

Main airport

Cancun International Airport (CUN)

Airport to city center

Taxi (~1000 MXN), Bus (~208 MXN), Shuttle (~1354 MXN)

Other options

Cozumel Airport (CZM) - receives some flights from the US, requires 1 hour ferry ride to reach Playa del Carmen

Transportation

Taxi apps

N/A

Public transportation

Taxi: 35 – 100 MXN per ride within the city
Colectivos (mini-buses): 7 - 10 MXN per ride

Getting around

Getting a taxi at an official taxi stand will usually be more expensive than hailing one in the street. Tickets for colectivos should be paid for onboard.

SIM card

Best options

Telcel, Movistar

Expected cost

60 - 80 MXN for SIM card, 350 - 500 MXN for 5GB of data valid for 1 month

How to buy

Oxxo shops, official network shops. 15 minutes needed to activate. Bring ID.

Language

Official language(s)

Spanish

Level of English

Moderate

Food

Tap water	Not drinkable
Overall cuisine	Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities	Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local	Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options	72 listings on Happy Cow
Food delivery apps	Uber Eats, Rappi
Supermarkets	Walmart: Only two locations, late closing hours, megastore with wide range of products, good prices MEGA: Standard large supermarket, fresh meat, bakery and café, great selection of products, affordable prices Chedraui: Standard large supermarket, normal prices, less convenient locations Local fish shops: Fresh seafood, good prices, found in many neighborhoods Fruit/vegetable shops: Great deals on produce, can be found all over town