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 $691 per month in Ariana vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,066 per month in Ariana vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Ariana vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ariana is about 46% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ariana and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ariana 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 TND 11.82

$11.87 MX$204

-65.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.11 TND 49.93

$42.90 MX$736

-60.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 TND 14.74

$10.65 MX$183

-52.58%

Cappuccino

$0.74 TND 2.17

$3.45 MX$59.2

-78.55%

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

$0.64 TND 1.87

$1.50 MX$25.81

-57.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.67

$0.95 MX$16.28

-75.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 TND 4.47

$3.03 MX$51.9

-49.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 TND 5.79

$4.61 MX$79.1

-57.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.38 MX$23.61

-63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.59

$1.85 MX$31.70

-89.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 TND 4.47

$1.61 MX$27.65

-4.97%

Eggs

$1.55 TND 4.53

$2.59 MX$44.51

-40.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 TND 30.38

$8.26 MX$142

26.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 TND 18.06

$8.37 MX$144

-26.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.65 TND 39.83

$10.66 MX$183

28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.87

$2.63 MX$45.12

-23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.67

$1.49 MX$25.53

99.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 TND 3.31

$1.92 MX$32.94

-40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.18

$2.09 MX$35.81

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.17

$1.86 MX$31.88

-60.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.11

$2.26 MX$38.81

-68.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.53

$1.06 MX$18.23

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.09 MX$18.67

-73.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.62 TND 10.56

$4.15 MX$71.2

-12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 TND 21.88

$10.39 MX$178

-27.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 TND 3.74

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 TND 4.61

$2.61 MX$44.85

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.04

$0.54 MX$9.30

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.33 TND 30.15

$26.94 MX$462

-61.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$3.13 MX$53.7

-90.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 TND 12.49

$3.15 MX$54.1

35.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 TND 2.44

$1.27 MX$21.88

-33.86%

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

$37.8K TND 110.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

24.40%

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

$34.2K TND 99.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.26%

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

$59.2 TND 173

$83.0 MX$1,425

-28.72%

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

$9.61 TND 28.05

$22.71 MX$390

-57.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.90 TND 61.0

$29.46 MX$506

-29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 TND 92.5

$51.0 MX$875

-37.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 TND 49.13

$18.33 MX$315

-8.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TND 13.62

$4.93 MX$84.5

-5.27%

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

$112 TND 326

$197 MX$3,386

-43.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 TND 9,806

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-36.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.02 TND 131

$36.90 MX$633

22.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 TND 174

$39.89 MX$685

49.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 TND 282

$80.0 MX$1,373

20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 TND 199

$89.5 MX$1,536

-23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 TND 702

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 TND 458

$477 MX$8,189

-67.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 TND 1,311

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 TND 871

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-75.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,160 TND 3,383

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-70.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 TND 2,190

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-88.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$342 TND 997

$667 MX$11.4K

-48.75%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Ariana versus $956 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 95% 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 $250 – 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: $691 in Ariana, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 84% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,037 per month in Ariana and $1,906 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 $691, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $691 in Ariana to $1,271 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.