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 $701 per month in Ariana vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Ariana vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,496 per month in Ariana vs $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 TND 11.91

$11.94 MX$209

-65.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.09 TND 49.39

$42.75 MX$748

-60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 TND 14.55

$10.59 MX$185

-52.50%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.19

$3.62 MX$63.4

-79.01%

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

$0.64 TND 1.84

$1.47 MX$25.69

-56.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.72

$0.94 MX$16.51

-73.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 TND 4.51

$3.09 MX$54.1

-49.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 TND 5.57

$4.46 MX$78.0

-56.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.46

$1.43 MX$24.94

-64.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 TND 0.50

$1.88 MX$32.97

-90.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 TND 4.50

$1.63 MX$28.50

-4.29%

Eggs

$1.50 TND 4.33

$2.64 MX$46.26

-43.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 TND 30.49

$8.21 MX$144

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 TND 17.79

$8.29 MX$145

-25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 TND 39.49

$11.10 MX$194

23.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 TND 5.99

$2.65 MX$46.40

-21.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 TND 8.54

$1.50 MX$26.26

97.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 TND 3.29

$1.99 MX$34.79

-42.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.01

$2.08 MX$36.33

-66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 TND 2.34

$1.79 MX$31.29

-54.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 TND 1.95

$2.18 MX$38.09

-69.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 TND 1.40

$1.08 MX$18.84

-54.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$1.04 MX$18.15

-70.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 TND 10.13

$3.97 MX$69.5

-11.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 TND 22.73

$10.20 MX$179

-22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 TND 3.71

$1.73 MX$30.22

-26.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 TND 4.51

$2.50 MX$43.71

-37.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.01

$0.52 MX$9.07

-32.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.27 TND 29.69

$26.97 MX$472

-61.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$3.14 MX$55.0

-89.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$2.40 MX$42.04

-87.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 TND 12.45

$3.09 MX$54.0

39.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.41

$1.27 MX$22.28

-33.86%

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

$37.8K TND 109.2K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

22.32%

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

$35.2K TND 101.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

50.99%

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

$58.9 TND 170

$82.0 MX$1,435

-28.14%

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

$9.72 TND 28.09

$22.45 MX$393

-56.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.45 TND 62.0

$29.66 MX$519

-27.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.27 TND 93.3

$51.9 MX$908

-37.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.17 TND 49.63

$18.67 MX$327

-8.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 TND 12.95

$4.97 MX$87.0

-9.86%

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

$109 TND 316

$198 MX$3,462

-44.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,252 TND 9,398

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-38.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.12 TND 130

$36.34 MX$636

24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 TND 171

$40.05 MX$701

47.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 TND 279

$79.9 MX$1,398

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 TND 195

$88.9 MX$1,555

-23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 TND 713

$963 MX$16.9K

-74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 TND 468

$465 MX$8,133

-65.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 TND 1,276

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-72.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 TND 852

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-75.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 TND 3,272

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-71.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$748 TND 2,162

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-88.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$337 TND 973

$720 MX$12.6K

-53.28%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Ariana versus $963 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 114% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $251 – 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: $701 in Ariana, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 83% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Ariana and $1,930 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 30% 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 $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 Ariana, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $701 in Ariana to $1,287 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.