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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,066 per month in Arlon vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,959 per month in Arlon vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,851 per month in Arlon vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arlon costs about 63% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arlon sits 54% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.12 €14.75

$11.87 MX$204

44.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.3 €78.7

$42.90 MX$736

112.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 €7.90

$10.65 MX$183

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$2.82 €2.43

$3.45 MX$59.2

-18.26%

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

$3.09 €2.66

$1.50 MX$25.81

106.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.05

$0.95 MX$16.28

149.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$3.03 MX$51.9

31.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 €3.31

$4.61 MX$79.1

-16.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.38 MX$23.61

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.85 MX$31.70

21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.61 MX$27.65

39.75%

Eggs

$3.71 €3.19

$2.59 MX$44.51

43.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 €12.70

$8.26 MX$142

78.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 €9.88

$8.37 MX$144

37.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.18 €18.25

$10.66 MX$183

98.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.80

$2.63 MX$45.12

23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.49 MX$25.53

-24.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.92 MX$32.94

21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 €2.77

$2.09 MX$35.81

53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.86 MX$31.88

-4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.26 MX$38.81

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.06 MX$18.23

62.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.09 MX$18.67

-12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 €8.33

$4.15 MX$71.2

133.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 €5.95

$10.39 MX$178

-33.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.72 MX$29.59

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$2.61 MX$44.85

-56.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €1.99

$0.54 MX$9.30

327.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 €49.81

$26.94 MX$462

114.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 €3.51

$3.13 MX$53.7

30.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 €2.74

$2.51 MX$43.09

26.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.02 €35.34

$3.15 MX$54.1

1202.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.27 MX$21.88

51.97%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

14.47%

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

$28.5K €24.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

21.07%

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

$279 €240

$83.0 MX$1,425

235.76%

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

$26.23 €22.60

$22.71 MX$390

15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 €45.68

$29.46 MX$506

79.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.20 €32.91

$51.0 MX$875

-25.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.71

$18.33 MX$315

-6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.49 €8.17

$4.93 MX$84.5

92.49%

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

$607 €523

$197 MX$3,386

207.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

159.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 €73.8

$36.90 MX$633

132.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.12 €40.60

$39.89 MX$685

18.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.2 €44.07

$80.0 MX$1,373

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.3

$89.5 MX$1,536

27.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 €752

$956 MX$16.4K

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 €778

$477 MX$8,189

89.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 €1,372

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 €929

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-12.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,390 €3,783

$3,918 MX$67.2K

12.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,059 €3,497

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-37.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 €2,121

$667 MX$11.4K

269.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

11.42

-68.04%

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

Last update for Arlon: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $872 in Arlon 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 269% higher in Arlon, 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 $91.0 in Arlon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $250 – 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

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

Arlon costs about 63% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,099 per month in Arlon 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,066 in Arlon and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 115% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Arlon at $2,066. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,271 versus $2,066 in Arlon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Arlon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.