Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $667 per month in Alfenas vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,199 per month in Alfenas vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Alfenas vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Alfenas is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alfenas and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Alfenas 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 R$17.98

$11.87 MX$204

-70.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 R$137

$42.90 MX$736

-36.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 R$27.77

$10.65 MX$183

-48.45%

Cappuccino

$0.92 R$4.68

$3.45 MX$59.2

-73.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.62

$1.50 MX$25.81

-65.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.82

$0.95 MX$16.28

-41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 R$10.74

$3.03 MX$51.9

-30.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R$13.98

$4.61 MX$79.1

-40.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.38 MX$23.61

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.97

$1.85 MX$31.70

-4.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.83

$1.61 MX$27.65

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.40 R$12.13

$2.59 MX$44.51

-7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 R$56.5

$8.26 MX$142

35.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 R$22.12

$8.37 MX$144

-47.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.18 R$46.47

$10.66 MX$183

-13.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 R$14.46

$2.63 MX$45.12

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.42

$1.49 MX$25.53

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.33

$1.92 MX$32.94

-14.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.36

$2.09 MX$35.81

-11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.20

$1.86 MX$31.88

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.30

$2.26 MX$38.81

-45.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.10

$1.06 MX$18.23

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.69

$1.09 MX$18.67

-33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 R$9.06

$4.15 MX$71.2

-56.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 R$48.96

$10.39 MX$178

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.72 MX$29.59

-23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R$12.18

$2.61 MX$44.85

-7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.54 MX$9.30

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.70 R$196

$26.94 MX$462

43.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.41

$3.13 MX$53.7

-65.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.58

$2.51 MX$43.09

-71.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 R$46.96

$3.15 MX$54.1

194.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.31

$1.27 MX$21.88

-17.32%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.0K R$111.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-27.44%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.3K R$138.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

15.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$54.5 R$276

$83.0 MX$1,425

-34.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.25 R$67.1

$22.71 MX$390

-41.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 R$92.8

$29.46 MX$506

-37.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.79 R$115

$51.0 MX$875

-55.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 R$109

$18.33 MX$315

17.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 R$32.27

$4.93 MX$84.5

29.21%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$502 R$2,543

$197 MX$3,386

154.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.2K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

192.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 R$257

$36.90 MX$633

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.77 R$211

$39.89 MX$685

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 R$393

$80.0 MX$1,373

-2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 R$365

$89.5 MX$1,536

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,627

$956 MX$16.4K

-66.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.4 R$463

$477 MX$8,189

-80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 R$2,998

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,180

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-64.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,603 R$8,114

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 R$5,188

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-84.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 R$2,431

$667 MX$11.4K

-28.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.42

1.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alfenas: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Alfenas versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Alfenas versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $250 – making Alfenas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Alfenas vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $667 in Alfenas, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 91% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,000 per month in Alfenas and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Alfenas and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $667, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $667 in Alfenas to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.