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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,296 per month in Arklow vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Arklow vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Arklow vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arklow and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.95 €18.93

$11.71 MX$199

87.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.2 €80.4

$46.59 MX$792

100.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 €10.11

$11.65 MX$198

0.60%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.78

$4.09 MX$69.6

7.09%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$1.37 MX$23.35

116.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.83 MX$14.17

171.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 €4.83

$3.35 MX$57.0

67.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 €4.66

$6.91 MX$117

-21.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.73 MX$29.35

2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.26 MX$38.41

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.77 MX$30.07

11.30%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$2.73 MX$46.43

72.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 €12.41

$9.18 MX$156

56.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 €11.75

$8.92 MX$152

52.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 €14.63

$12.60 MX$214

34.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.02 MX$51.3

7.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.57 MX$26.69

89.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.13 MX$36.12

66.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 €4.31

$2.26 MX$38.48

120.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.00 MX$34.05

16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.06 MX$35.08

-7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.18 MX$20.05

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$1.20 MX$20.46

77.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.21 €18.29

$4.63 MX$78.8

358.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 €12.16

$10.69 MX$182

31.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.32 €3.73

$1.62 MX$27.52

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 €3.12

$2.88 MX$48.96

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$5.45 MX$92.6

0.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.33

$3.70 MX$63.0

-58.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.56 €29.80

$5.98 MX$102

477.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.55 MX$26.40

38.06%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

79.23%

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

$39.8K €34.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

53.27%

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

$248 €214

$89.1 MX$1,515

178.34%

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

$22.42 €19.34

$25.04 MX$426

-10.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 €49.54

$31.50 MX$535

82.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.92 €39.61

$67.8 MX$1,152

-32.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 €12.26

$5.05 MX$85.8

181.39%

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

$1,110 €958

$225 MX$3,823

393.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,659 €4,881

$4,222 MX$71.8K

34.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 €85.3

$47.44 MX$806

108.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.86 €38.69

$44.98 MX$764

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.0

$82.0 MX$1,393

34.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$92.1 MX$1,565

32.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,888

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 €4,272

$749 MX$12.7K

561.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.45

-63.84%

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

Last update for Arklow: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 561% higher in Arklow. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $93.0 in Arklow versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $403 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,944 per month in Arklow and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $1,110 per month in Arklow and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Arklow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Arklow at $1,296. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arklow 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $1,296 in Arklow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.