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 $773 per month in Aracatuba vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Aracatuba vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,676 per month in Aracatuba vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aracatuba is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aracatuba and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Aracatuba 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 R$27.42

$11.73 MX$205

-54.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.74 R$138

$41.62 MX$727

-35.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 R$32.62

$10.64 MX$186

-40.51%

Cappuccino

$1.71 R$8.83

$3.52 MX$61.5

-51.42%

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

$1.07 R$5.50

$1.51 MX$26.37

-29.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.36

$0.97 MX$17.00

-32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$2.95 MX$51.5

-40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.56

$4.45 MX$77.8

-40.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.13

$1.38 MX$24.16

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.57

$1.89 MX$33.04

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.14

$1.64 MX$28.59

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.40

$2.51 MX$43.76

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 R$42.59

$8.34 MX$146

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 R$18.54

$8.34 MX$146

-56.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 R$38.37

$10.73 MX$187

-30.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$11.06

$2.60 MX$45.48

-17.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.46 MX$25.45

-9.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.18

$1.90 MX$33.19

-36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.48

$2.08 MX$36.26

-30.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.08

$1.78 MX$31.01

-33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.70

$2.19 MX$38.16

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.55

$1.04 MX$18.16

-33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.42

$1.08 MX$18.80

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$11.22

$4.08 MX$71.3

-46.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 R$45.60

$10.32 MX$180

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.71 MX$29.90

-29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 R$10.53

$2.58 MX$44.98

-20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.80

$0.51 MX$8.90

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.22 R$197

$26.46 MX$462

44.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.40

$3.26 MX$57.0

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.68

$2.49 MX$43.51

-71.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 R$32.55

$3.25 MX$56.7

94.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.58

$1.31 MX$22.83

-17.56%

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

$20.9K R$107.5K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-31.09%

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

$27.9K R$143.9K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

19.20%

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

$61.5 R$317

$82.9 MX$1,447

-25.74%

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

$13.53 R$69.7

$22.22 MX$388

-39.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.21 R$99.0

$29.34 MX$512

-34.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.59 R$116

$51.6 MX$902

-56.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.75 R$112

$18.32 MX$320

18.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 R$32.52

$5.07 MX$88.5

24.46%

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

$274 R$1,411

$201 MX$3,507

36.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,498 R$33.5K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

24.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.29 R$249

$36.92 MX$645

30.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 R$221

$39.79 MX$695

7.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$394

$78.5 MX$1,370

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$335

$87.1 MX$1,521

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 R$1,603

$973 MX$17.0K

-68.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,121

$468 MX$8,169

-53.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 R$2,990

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-64.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,239

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-64.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,775 R$9,142

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-55.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,049 R$5,403

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-83.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,961

$664 MX$11.6K

-42.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Aracatuba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $311 in Aracatuba versus $973 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 74% 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 Aracatuba versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $249 – 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: $773 in Aracatuba, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 68% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,159 per month in Aracatuba and $1,945 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 $274 per month in Aracatuba and $201 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 40% 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 $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $773 in Aracatuba to $1,297 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.