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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Arima vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arima is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arima and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$11.99 MX$210

-24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$41.78 MX$733

74.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$10.75 MX$189

-30.23%

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$3.50 MX$61.3

-31.71%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.36

$1.45 MX$25.41

-35.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$0.88 MX$15.52

-14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

$2.95 MX$51.7

-46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

$4.51 MX$79.1

-32.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$1.43 MX$25.12

58.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$1.84 MX$32.23

28.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$1.57 MX$27.51

44.59%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$2.51 MX$44.06

71.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$8.28 MX$145

-24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$8.43 MX$148

-30.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$10.68 MX$187

-59.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$2.61 MX$45.76

116.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$1.44 MX$25.22

43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$1.96 MX$34.41

122.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$2.09 MX$36.74

109.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$2.17 MX$38.02

-61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$1.03 MX$18.09

41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$1.07 MX$18.84

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$4.10 MX$72.0

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

$10.17 MX$178

90.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

$1.68 MX$29.38

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

$2.53 MX$44.31

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

$0.51 MX$8.93

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$3.23 MX$56.7

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$2.41 MX$42.19

-70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$3.23 MX$56.6

353.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$1.32 MX$23.17

-28.79%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-8.23%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

16.86%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$82.0 MX$1,439

-0.62%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$22.95 MX$403

90.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$30.11 MX$528

108.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

$52.0 MX$912

-8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$4.98 MX$87.3

4.22%

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

$131 TTD 881

$197 MX$3,463

-33.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

32.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$35.60 MX$624

43.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$40.33 MX$707

-33.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$78.8 MX$1,381

61.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$88.9 MX$1,560

-15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$947 MX$16.6K

-48.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$474 MX$8,314

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-41.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

$654 MX$11.5K

84.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-73.73%

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

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima versus $947 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 84% higher in Arima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Arima versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,745 per month in Arima and $1,884 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 Arima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,163 in Arima and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arima costs $1,163 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Arima. 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.