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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,036 in Arecibo versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,785 in Arecibo versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Arecibo costs roughly 1% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arecibo 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.05 $12.05

$11.71 MX$199

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$46.59 MX$791

83.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 $8.31

$11.65 MX$198

-28.67%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$4.09 MX$69.5

-16.87%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.37 MX$23.34

36.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.83 MX$14.16

74.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.35 MX$56.9

-8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 $5.01

$6.91 MX$117

-27.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.73 MX$29.33

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.26 MX$38.39

48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.77 MX$30.05

12.99%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.73 MX$46.41

67.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$9.18 MX$156

36.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$8.92 MX$151

5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$12.60 MX$214

4.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$3.02 MX$51.3

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.57 MX$26.68

64.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.13 MX$36.10

130.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.26 MX$38.46

114.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.00 MX$34.04

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.06 MX$35.06

88.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.18 MX$20.04

190.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.20 MX$20.45

30.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$4.63 MX$78.7

160.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 $15.71

$10.69 MX$182

46.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.62 MX$27.50

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.88 MX$48.93

36.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 $39.73

$29.83 MX$507

33.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$5.45 MX$92.5

-55.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.70 MX$62.9

-58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$5.98 MX$102

614.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.55 MX$26.38

-42.58%

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

$40.6K $40.6K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

81.82%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

6.73%

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

$324 $324

$89.1 MX$1,514

263.29%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$25.04 MX$425

176.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$31.50 MX$535

103.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$10.35 $10.35

$5.05 MX$85.8

104.95%

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

$820 $820

$225 MX$3,820

264.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

191.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$47.44 MX$806

19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 $62.0

$44.98 MX$764

37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$82.0 MX$1,392

34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$92.1 MX$1,564

21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 $1,192

$749 MX$12.7K

59.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Arecibo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Arecibo pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Arecibo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Arecibo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arecibo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Arecibo and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.