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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $693 per month in Ariana vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Ariana vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,463 per month in Ariana vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ariana is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ariana and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ariana 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 TND 11.63

$11.72 MX$203

-66.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.14 TND 50.3

$41.89 MX$725

-59.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 TND 14.28

$10.51 MX$182

-53.66%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.24

$3.59 MX$62.0

-78.83%

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

$0.63 TND 1.85

$1.51 MX$26.10

-58.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.92 MX$15.83

-72.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.35

$2.96 MX$51.2

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.78

$4.41 MX$76.3

-55.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$1.40 MX$24.16

-63.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.88 MX$32.60

-89.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 TND 4.42

$1.56 MX$26.97

-3.21%

Eggs

$1.55 TND 4.55

$2.61 MX$45.14

-40.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 TND 30.77

$8.32 MX$144

26.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 TND 17.87

$8.35 MX$145

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 TND 40.31

$10.86 MX$188

26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 TND 6.16

$2.71 MX$46.93

-22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 TND 8.75

$1.51 MX$26.04

97.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.30

$1.87 MX$32.41

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.07

$2.19 MX$37.89

-67.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 TND 2.37

$1.86 MX$32.14

-56.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.13

$2.23 MX$38.59

-67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.07 MX$18.48

-54.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.84

$1.09 MX$18.79

-73.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 TND 10.39

$4.19 MX$72.4

-15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 TND 20.03

$10.43 MX$180

-34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 TND 3.91

$1.66 MX$28.68

-19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 TND 4.81

$2.61 MX$45.19

-37.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$0.54 MX$9.37

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.01 TND 29.36

$26.16 MX$453

-61.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.95

$3.08 MX$53.3

-89.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$2.40 MX$41.61

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 TND 12.28

$3.13 MX$54.1

33.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.48

$1.31 MX$22.69

-35.88%

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

$36.9K TND 108.2K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

23.66%

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

$34.4K TND 100.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

47.34%

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

$59.0 TND 173

$81.3 MX$1,406

-27.47%

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

$10.09 TND 29.60

$22.56 MX$390

-55.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.70 TND 60.7

$30.05 MX$520

-31.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 TND 94.7

$52.9 MX$915

-38.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.67 TND 48.92

$18.39 MX$318

-9.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 TND 13.68

$4.92 MX$85.1

-5.28%

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

$111 TND 324

$201 MX$3,474

-44.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,244 TND 9,519

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-37.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.62 TND 134

$35.92 MX$622

27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 TND 174

$40.13 MX$694

47.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 TND 278

$79.7 MX$1,379

18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 TND 202

$86.5 MX$1,496

-20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 TND 728

$978 MX$16.9K

-74.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 TND 464

$470 MX$8,140

-66.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 TND 1,327

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-72.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 TND 853

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-75.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,121 TND 3,291

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-71.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$741 TND 2,173

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-88.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 TND 984

$677 MX$11.7K

-50.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.15

11.42

15.15%

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

Last update for Ariana: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Ariana versus $978 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 102% 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 $17.00 in Ariana versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $252 – making Ariana 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $693 in Ariana, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 82% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,039 per month in Ariana and $1,890 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 Ariana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $17.00 in Ariana and $42.00 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 Ariana, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Ariana 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 $693 in Ariana to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ariana. 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.