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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $844 per month in Aracatuba vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,336 per month in Aracatuba vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,828 per month in Aracatuba vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aracatuba is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aracatuba and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Aracatuba 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 R$29.48

$11.71 MX$198

-50.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.26 R$155

$46.59 MX$787

-35.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 R$37.18

$11.65 MX$197

-37.68%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.61

$4.09 MX$69.1

-54.03%

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

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.37 MX$23.21

-10.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.83 MX$14.08

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R$9.92

$3.35 MX$56.6

-42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 R$15.01

$6.91 MX$117

-57.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.31

$1.73 MX$29.16

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.37

$2.26 MX$38.17

-19.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.92

$1.77 MX$29.88

-23.73%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.24

$2.73 MX$46.14

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 R$47.97

$9.18 MX$155

1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.96

$8.92 MX$151

-58.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 R$40.22

$12.60 MX$213

-37.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 R$9.96

$3.02 MX$51.0

-35.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.89

$1.57 MX$26.52

-14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.31

$2.13 MX$35.89

-51.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.81

$2.26 MX$38.23

-32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.55

$2.00 MX$33.84

-46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.59

$2.06 MX$34.86

-47.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 R$4.37

$1.18 MX$19.92

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 R$3.71

$1.20 MX$20.33

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 R$13.30

$4.63 MX$78.3

-44.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 R$45.42

$10.69 MX$180

-17.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.92

$1.62 MX$27.35

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.95

$2.88 MX$48.65

-32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$5.02

$0.57 MX$9.68

71.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.03 R$200

$29.83 MX$504

30.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.75

$5.45 MX$92.0

-79.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R$4.91

$3.70 MX$62.6

-74.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.36 R$42.86

$5.98 MX$101

39.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.12

$1.55 MX$26.23

-22.58%

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

$24.0K R$123.0K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

7.50%

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

$28.7K R$147.2K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

10.69%

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

$73.7 R$378

$89.1 MX$1,505

-17.28%

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

$13.67 R$70.1

$25.04 MX$423

-45.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 R$95.9

$31.50 MX$532

-40.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.84 R$143

$67.8 MX$1,145

-58.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.41 R$125

$28.92 MX$488

-15.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 R$34.72

$5.05 MX$85.3

34.06%

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

$320 R$1,640

$225 MX$3,798

42.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,895 R$35.3K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

63.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.14 R$247

$47.44 MX$801

1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 R$275

$44.98 MX$759

19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 R$423

$82.0 MX$1,384

0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 R$383

$92.1 MX$1,555

-18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 R$1,638

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-70.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,332

$405 MX$6,844

-35.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 R$3,269

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-67.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 R$2,619

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-60.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,516 R$7,770

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-62.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 R$5,915

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-82.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$374 R$1,916

$749 MX$12.6K

-50.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.45

-2.88%

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

Last update for Aracatuba: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Aracatuba versus $1,069 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 100% 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 $30.00 in Aracatuba versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $277 – making Aracatuba 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $844 in Aracatuba, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 53% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,266 per month in Aracatuba and $1,940 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 Aracatuba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $320 per month in Aracatuba and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aracatuba, where all-in costs run around $844, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Aracatuba 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 $844 in Aracatuba to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Aracatuba. 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.