The Ultimate Budget-Friendly Playa Del Carmen Travel Guide (2024)
In need of a beach vacation, but ballin’ on a budget? Travel to paradise and enjoy the lively Mexican culture without breaking the bank – welcome to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico! Whether you’re here for a few days to a few weeks, here’s the best Playa Del Carmen itinerary to stretch your dollar to the maximum.
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Picture beautiful turquoise water resting on bright, white sand – maybe even an empanada and margarita in hand? Welcome to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, it’s an absolute gem of a city along the Riviera Maya.
Centered between the party life of Cancun and the more expensive Tulum, you find the perfect mix of easy, breezy beach life with plenty of nightlife, restaurants, and outdoor excursions right at your fingertips.
As I found myself with three open weeks, I wanted to go somewhere with a beautiful beach that wouldn’t cost too much. And I truly feel I hit the jackpot with this incredible trip.
After extensively researching Playa Del Carmen, I created a fantastic itinerary for myself and budget. In this article, I’ll share all my secrets that helped drive the cost down to an affordable three week trip.
Without further ado, here is the best budget-friendly Playa Del Carmen travel guide.
Tips and Tricks for a Smooth Playa Del Carmen Travel Itinerary
How to get to Playa Del Carmen
Since there is no international airport in PDC, you will fly into Cancún. From the airport, you can grab a one-way or round-trip bus ticket from the ADO ticket counter after grabbing your luggage, right before the exit.
The process is very simple and easy to get. If you’re worried about not getting a ticket due to traveling in the peak season, you can buy your tickets online from their website here.
The buses are air-conditioned and have USB ports to charge devices, the ride is roughly one hour with little to no traffic, and the cost is 240 pesos (~$14.50 USD) one-way.
I bought round-trip tickets just for peace of mind, but do whatever you’d like! There is no additional costs that I’m aware of if you buy them separately.
Apps to have pre-trip
Google Maps – a must for me. I love being able to pin things for later and, of course, use it for directions when travel to and from places.
Google Translate – another must if you’re going to be spending time outside of Centro (the center and the height of the touristy area).
The local people within Centro often speak a little English; however, outside of Centro, English is far less common. A phrasebook like this one is also really nice to have. I would often read it and practice on the beach, which helped me when I would need to speak it later!
Airalo – if your US network doesn’t offer service in Mexico, Airalo is a fantastic option to have service the moment you land.
I’ve used it countless of times and it’s incredibly convenient. Occasionally I’ve found it’s cheaper to buy a SIM card at the local shops in some countries, but for Mexico they were about the same price (comparative to Telcel).
Feel free to use my referral code HELENA4577 for $3 USD off your first purchase.
WhatsApp – most businesses and people you meet will use WhatsApp to communicate, be sure to have it before arrival. I rented a bike and got services from an aesthetician, and both used WhatsApp as their platform to communicate with their customers/clients.
Do I need travel insurance?
As I’ve grown up in my 20s, I’ve begun to realize how crucial travel insurance can be. You really never know when an accident could occur and it’s best to be covered in case of anything serious. In the past I’ve used World Trips and have had good experiences with them.
However, I (luckily) haven’t had to put my travel insurance to the test yet, so I want to share one more option: a friend of mine uses Allianz and had to cancel a trip last minute due to her travel buddy being diagnosed with cancer and she was fully refunded. She highly recommends them!
Is Playa Del Carmen Safe?
As a solo-female traveler I felt pretty safe in Playa Del Carmen. I didn’t go to any clubs, just relaxing cocktail bars and when I would bike home I felt generally safe. Of course, with any city, it’s vital to always be aware of your surroundings and trust your gut.
I also was living in a more local neighborhood, which I think added to me feeling safer because they are less targeted for crime.
The guy I rented my bike from told me his house has been broken into three times with people trying to steal whatever they could find (he lives in the area where the expats live), so he recommended me to bring my bike inside my airbnb. However, I left my bike outside my airbnb, unlocked, for three weeks and it was never stolen.
I did hear that as a female you shouldn’t take a cab alone at night, so I followed that advice. But I also know women who have done that and were completely fine. I err on the side of caution when in a foreign country, especially when I can’t speak the local language well, but do whatever you’re comfortable with.
Where to Stay
Most tourists will stay in Centro as that is where all the restaurants, shops, bars and clubs are with direct access to the beach.
Within Centro, you have all the options – hostels, Airbnbs, hotels, and resorts. When I’m booking my accommodation I typically use hostelworld, Airbnb, and Booking to check out all the options.
Hostels range from $12 – $20 USD/night, Airbnbs range from $15 – $60 USD/night, hotels and resorts range from $45 – $200 USD/night.
My first tip for saving some cash is to stay a bit farther out from the crowds of Centro. I got an airbnb that had a nice large bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom for $12 USD/night. Since I was mainly here to work and relax, it worked great for me!
There are pros and cons though, the pros were being in a quaint local neighborhood near Mundo Habitat, with fun restaurants and cafes around, and being able to cook my own food (I bought my food from Walmart) which definitely helps to save money in the long run.
It felt more local and less touristy, which I personally loved. Alongside this, it was a little cheaper in these areas compared to Centro.
The cons are not being able to easily make friends when compared to a hostel and also not being super close to the beaches and Centro.
However, it was only about 10 mins by bike to the nearest beach and 20 mins by bike to Centro, so not bad at all if you’re mainly looking to just relax and beach it.
How to Get Around
Since I was just a little too far to walk to the beach everyday, I needed to figure out how to get around. There is public transportation in Playa Del Carmen with colectivos, taxis, and bike rentals.
Colectivo
These are white shuttle buses with turquoise writing on them, you will see frequently on the streets. They have the directions/location they are heading in written neon colors on the front windshield of the bus. There are also larger buses with the word “Tucsa” on the side of the bus, which are also used for public transportation.
However, I felt a bit intimidated to try these out as I can only speak basic Spanish and wasn’t sure which ones would take me to the beach I wanted to go to. So, I didn’t try these out, however if you speak Spanish, I can imagine you would have no problem using these as a form of transportation.
As I only used these once to go outside of Playa, inside of Playa I’m not sure how much it would cost but I’m guessing around 20 pesos – maybe even less.
Taxi
There is no Uber in Playa Del Carmen, so taxis are another way to get around the city. Even if you can’t speak Spanish, I always had fantastic experiences with the taxi drivers. And you don’t have to stress about not being able to find one, they are everywhere. You can easily walk to the street and hail a taxi within 1-2 minutes, no problem.
Some good things to know beforehand:
- They only take cash so be sure you have enough on you.
- Smaller bills are better as they won’t always have change for larger bills (500 and up)
- Always be sure to ask how much the ride will cost before agreeing to it because there are no meters
- The more Spanish I spoke, the less gringo tax I got on my bill 😉
Bike rental
I decided to rent a bike as it would cut my transportation time by over half for beaches and getting to Centro, as well as I love being in the sun, so I could also maximize my sunbathing time 😆
I cannot recommend Best Bike Rentals enough, the owner was so kind and accommodating. He allows you to pick out which kind of bike you prefer and what color you’d like, he’ll pump in air into the tires for free throughout your rental time, and also offers to drop off the bike at your location and pick it up before you leave Playa.
The rates are typical for Playa, if not slightly better: 250 pesos/day or 800 pesos/week. I rented for 20 days and he gave me an offer of 1500 pesos, so the longer you’re there, the lower the price per day it is.
Where to Eat
There are plenty of restaurants to try along 5th avenue – with any kind of cuisine you could possibly desire. However, if you’re wanting to try more local food, here are a few recommendations:
El Fogón – this is where you need to go to try their famous Al Pastor tacos. Known for being the best spot to have traditional tacos from Northern Mexico, you can find plenty more to eat here. My friend and I also got fajitas and they were top notch.
Tropical Tacos – delicious tacos with a modern twist, truly every taco I got here was absolutely incredible.
La Floresta – come here for their delicious beer-battered shrimp and fish tacos! They also serve up delicious ceviche – grande style.
Los Aguachiles – while this is tailored more to tourists, their Rock-n-Roll shrimp is to die for as well as their shrimp ceviche! And with multiple locations around Playa, you’ve got to check it out at least once on your trip!
Birrieria vip – located outside of Centro, this is where you need to go to find beloved birria tacos. The shop owners are very kind and cook up the meanest of birria tacos!
Raiz Eco Market – if you’re into organic, sustainable, and conscientious places – look no further than the amazing Raiz Eco Market. A quaint cafe, you’ll find smoothies, coffee, avocado toast, waffles, quesadillas, the most insane paninis, and then some!
The workers are super kind and love to talk with foreigners and teach us a little Spanish while we’re at it. It’s also a cute shop where you can find fun little bits and bobs, candles, tote bags, and more.
One thing to note: While they are open until 8pm, they stop serving food at 2pm so you need to get there earlier to enjoy their mouth-watering dishes.
Where to Drink
If you’re like me, you love a deliciously-crafted cocktail. I have left the days of Señor Frogs and have entered the days of just plopping myself down at a quieter bar for wholesome conversation with the bartenders as they make me a yummy cocktail.
Here were my favorite places:
Marmorata – They offer creative twists on classic cocktails, all the mezcal you could possibly desire and then some, and tequila and mezcal tastings on Saturdays at 2pm.
I came to this bar the most during my three weeks in Playa. They have excellent bartenders, a great atmosphere, and the bar is centrally located within Centro.
Their cocktails are decently priced at around 180 pesos/drink, especially with the quality of cocktail, it doesn’t get better. So I highly, highly recommend Marmorata!
Aéreo Café Bar – This bar is more south so I only went twice, but it was incredible. I had the most insane coffee negroni of my life here. I was absolutely obsessed and ordered three of them lol.
My friend also said she had the best espresso martini of her life here, so you know they’ve got excellent bartenders!
Their menu is extensive and you can find the coffee negroni only on their speakeasy menu. Be sure to make a reservation through the portal linked to their Google Maps location as the speakeasy only fits ten people maximum.
Overall their prices are a little steeper at around $280 pesos/drink.
Artes y Copas – I never actually got to try this bar, but had heard excellent things about it. I spent too much time at Marmorata (lol), so if you try it I’d love to hear about your experience!
Where to Beach
The question is more of where not to beach? Playa, which means ‘beach’ in Spanish if you didn’t know, is located on the coast, so you have plenty of options.
Playa 88 – This was my absolute favorite beach for these reasons: it was the closest one to my Airbnb so I had easy access to it, they had bathrooms and showers if needed, free palapas to shade yourself during peak hours, and it was rarely ever crowded.
When I go to a beach, I prefer it to be less crowded and that’s ultimately why it was my favorite. You can walk either left or right from the entrance and find a spot that’s more secluded.
I also felt comfortable to leave my things on the beach without worrying if someone would steal anything. There are lifeguards on duty and lots of families, so that made it feel quite safe.
And, of course, the water. Drop dead gorgeous shades of blues and turquoise with beautiful creamy-white sand. It was truly a dream.
Playa 38 – Located within Centro, Playa 38 is spacious so even though it is typically filled with lots of people, it didn’t feel too packed.
I didn’t see any palapas on this beach, except for one at the entrance not very near the water, so be sure to bring your own umbrella if you’ll need shade at some point.
Similar to Playa 88, it’s got the beautiful water and white sand – you truly can’t go wrong with any beach in Playa Del Carmen!
Playa Del Carmen – on google maps it’s labeled as Playa Del Carmen, but when I told my favorite bartender he looked confused – so maybe the locals call it something else, but we couldn’t figure out what it was (lol).
However, at this beach, you will find it’s catered to the tourists. They have all the beach bars, restaurants, umbrellas for rent, etc. It’s a fun environment for meeting people and enjoying the weather, but expect lots of crowds.
Playacar – this is supposed to be the most beautiful beach along the Playa Del Carmen coast. It’s in a residential area so I’ve been told to access it you need to either be living in one of the resorts within the community or walk down to it from a beach farther up the coast.
There is also a review on google maps that says they were turned away after walking, so it’s a bit of a risk to try to sneak in. Because of this, I didn’t go. I was perfectly happy with Playa 88 and Playacar was quite far from me, so I just didn’t bother.
However, it does look like a dream so if you go, I’d love to hear how it was for you!
Things to Do
My main goal was just to go to the beach every day, eat yummy food, and relax, so my list of things to do was quite short. With that being said, there are a few more excursions to do around Playa Del Carmen! They are listed in order from most budget-friendly to least budget-friendly.
Walk along 5th Avenue
This walking street spans along about 50 streets and is packed with souvenir shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, clubs, ice cream shops etc. It’s lively and quite fun to walk down for people watching and just taking a stroll.
It starts to get poppin towards the afternoon and evening, so it’s great to visit after a day at the beach or visiting a cenote!
Visit a cenote
A cenote (pronounced “say – no – tay”) is a natural sinkhole that exposes groundwater. The term is coined from the Mayans who used them for fresh water and sacrificial offerings as they believed it was a gateway to the underworld.
There are many to choose from, some within Playa and some outside of it – I asked my favorite bartender which one was his favorite and he said Jardin Del Eden (the Garden of Eden). So naturally, that’s the one I went to and it was absolutely beautiful.
The cost is 200 pesos for the whole day. For an extra cost, you can rent life jackets (50 pesos for the whole day) and snorkels (100 pesos for the whole day). They also have food such as hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. available for purchase once you’re there.
Their sign upon arrival said you can’t have drinks (besides water) or food, but we brought snacks and gatorade and there was no issue for us.
Directions to Jardin Del Eden
From the Colectivo bus station in Centro, get on a shuttle headed for Tulum. Before entering the bus, you’ll tell the driver “Jardin Del Eden cenote” or “Eden cenote” and the driver will drop you off right outside the entrance of the road. It should cost around 35 pesos one-way.
The walk to the ticket entrance is about 5 minutes and then you have another 5 minute walk to the actual cenote.
Once you’re ready to go back to Playa, you walk outside to the freeway and carefully cross to the other side and wait until you see another colectivo heading in the direction of Playa.
If they have space in the shuttle for you they will flash their lights; to hail them, just stick your arm out and they’ll pull over. If they don’t have space for you they will raise their hand to let you know they’re full.
Xcaret Park
During my time in Playa Del Carmen, I consistently saw signs for Xcaret Park.
It’s a natural water park with more than 50 natural and cultural attractions for anyone and everyone. With bird watching, underground rivers, the Butterfly Pavilion, and cultural performances – you can easily spend the entire day here.
From the photos I’ve seen, it looks absolutely beautiful. The tickets starting price are $108 USD for the day, they have different kinds of tickets so you can check out to see what would work best for you here.
As I’m in a more “rest and digest” moment of my life, I chose to stay within Playa with the exception of Jardin Del Eden cenote. So I didn’t make it, but I heard rave reviews about it, so if it’s in your budget I highly recommend it!
Snorkeling and diving in Cozumel
As you sit on the beach in PDC, basking in the sun, you’ll probably see across the ocean there are some buildings. What you are looking at are the buildings on the island of Cozumel.
Cozumel is known as one of the best places in the world for snorkeling and diving, so if that is up your alley you shouldn’t miss it!
You can take a ferry from here to explore Cozumel for the day (roughly $45 USD round-trip).
With El Cielo being one of the best places to explore the coral reefs, you can taxi here for a DIY day of snorkeling (and enjoy this pristine beach). Or once you’ve touched down on Cozumel, find a snorkeling tour which will bring you to multiple spots for a fun-filled day full of marine wildlife and crystal clear water.
I’m not a diver (yet), however I know that it’s best to not just do the cheapest option available. While doing your own research be sure to look for supportive divemasters, top-tier customer service, quality rental equipment, and smaller groups.
A Daily Budget Estimate
Here is a list of the daily costs you’ll likely have when traveling with a range of how much you will spend per day in USD.
This is on the more conservative side (cheaper accommodation, cooking food versus eating out, taking public transportation or cycling compared to taxis, etc.), obviously the sky’s the limit when it comes to all of these categories, but this is the overall range per day you would likely spend while in Playa Del Carmen.
Backpacker:
- Accommodation: $12 – $20
- Transportation: $4 – $20
- Food: $5 – $30
- Drinks: $0 – $60
- Activities: $0 – $15
- Daily Total: $21 – $145
Playa Del Carmen Travel Guide FAQ
When is the best time to visit Playa Del Carmen?
Playa Del Carmen has a rainy season (May to November) and a dry season (December to April).
I spent 3 weeks in Playa in the month of May and there wasn’t one day or night of rain. Maybe that was unique to the typical season, but the shoulder seasons seem to be a great time to take advantage of the fewer crowds!
December to April is when the weather is less hot, more along 70s-80s degrees rather than 90s and up, which is what attracts the crowds.
What is sargassum?
Sargassum is a type of seaweed that doesn’t attach to the ocean floor and will wash up on the shores in massive amounts. All along the Riviera Maya you will find it.
I’ve heard that the off-season for tourists is when it’s at its peak (May to November) and it’s less common during the peak tourist season (December to April).
Since I was there in the off-season, I’d say it wasn’t terrible. The first week and a half it was pretty standard. It was there, but a controllable amount. Then we got 3 days a nothing and the water was absolutely gorgeous!
But then after that it came back, full force. There was at least 10 feet of the shore completely covered in it. It was no joke lol.
So that can be either a hit or miss, but they work on clearing it every day so there’s typically at least one spot where everyone can go into the water to cool off.
How long should I visit Playa Del Carmen?
Considering I could stay here forever, I’d say indefinitely. But on the real, I think at least 5 days so you can get proper R&R on the beaches, try fun restaurants, and see a cenote or two! But I’m a big fan of slow travel, so the longer the better in my opinion.
What should I pack for a week in Playa Del Carmen?
As this is very unique to each person, I would offer up suggestions of:
- reef-safe sunscreen
- 2-3 bikinis
- 2-3 pairs of shorts if you’re going in the hot season or sweat easily
- a filtered water bottle, if you like to drink lots of water and your accommodation doesn’t provide it for you
Do I need cash in Playa Del Carmen?
Yes, I highly recommend taking out cash from the ATM in the airport before heading out of Cancún as taxi drivers only accept cash, you will most likely need it at one point during your trip.
If you plan to stay in Centro and not take any form of transportation besides the ADO bus, then maybe you don’t need to. However, I think it’s always best to have in case you want any street food or go somewhere spontaneously!
Is USD Accepted in Playa Del Carmen?
Yes, I did see people pay with USD compared to pesos. However, it wasn’t widely known that you can use USD, so it’s still best to have pesos on you – especially if you’d like change!
I hope my budget-friendly Playa Del Carmen travel guide gave you a good idea of how much you’ll be spending, budget-friendly options of things to do, and got you excited for your upcoming trip!
No matter what your plan turns out to be, just know it’s impossible not to have an amazing time in Playa Del Carmen.
As always, if you have any questions feel free to comment below!
happy trails ♥