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 $1,286 per month in Arima vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Arima vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,002 per month in Arima vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arima is about 1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 TTD 68.1

$11.71 MX$198

-12.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 TTD 495

$46.59 MX$788

59.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 TTD 57.5

$11.65 MX$197

-25.92%

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.08

$4.09 MX$69.2

-7.82%

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

$1.03 TTD 6.88

$1.37 MX$23.23

-24.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 TTD 4.83

$0.83 MX$14.09

-12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 TTD 12.31

$3.35 MX$56.7

-44.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.19

$6.91 MX$117

-58.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 TTD 15.92

$1.73 MX$29.20

38.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 TTD 15.83

$2.26 MX$38.21

5.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.41

$1.77 MX$29.91

64.97%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.59

$2.73 MX$46.19

57.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 TTD 44.22

$9.18 MX$155

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 TTD 44.34

$8.92 MX$151

-25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 TTD 59.3

$12.60 MX$213

-29.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.65

$3.02 MX$51.1

87.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.28

$1.57 MX$26.55

46.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 TTD 24.62

$2.13 MX$35.93

73.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 TTD 32.20

$2.26 MX$38.28

114.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 TTD 8.86

$2.00 MX$33.88

-33.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 TTD 6.16

$2.06 MX$34.90

-54.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 TTD 9.38

$1.18 MX$19.94

19.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TTD 6.47

$1.20 MX$20.35

-19.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 TTD 32.18

$4.63 MX$78.4

4.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.99 TTD 126

$10.69 MX$181

77.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 TTD 12.73

$1.62 MX$27.38

17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TTD 19.54

$2.88 MX$48.70

2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 TTD 6.70

$0.57 MX$9.69

77.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 TTD 4.72

$5.45 MX$92.1

-86.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.02

$3.70 MX$62.6

-79.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.55 TTD 96.8

$5.98 MX$101

143.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.50

$1.55 MX$26.26

-27.10%

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

$27.2K TTD 181.3K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

22.04%

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

$35.8K TTD 238.3K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

37.99%

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

$89.5 TTD 595

$89.1 MX$1,507

0.37%

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

$45.03 TTD 300

$25.04 MX$423

79.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 TTD 380

$31.50 MX$532

81.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 348

$67.8 MX$1,146

-22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 TTD 59.4

$5.05 MX$85.4

76.83%

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

$176 TTD 1,169

$225 MX$3,803

-21.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K TTD 70.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

150.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 TTD 412

$47.44 MX$802

30.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 TTD 295

$44.98 MX$760

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 982

$82.0 MX$1,386

80.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 TTD 481

$92.1 MX$1,557

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 TTD 3,376

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,412

$405 MX$6,852

-10.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 TTD 6,850

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-46.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 TTD 5,783

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-33.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 TTD 8,100

$749 MX$12.7K

62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for Arima: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Arima versus $1,069 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 63% 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 $74.0 in Arima versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $277 – 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 1% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,929 per month in Arima and $1,940 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 $1,286 in Arima and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Arima and $225 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 $1,286, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,286 versus $1,293 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.