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 $2,062 per month in Arlon vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,191 per month in Arlon vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,321 per month in Arlon vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arlon costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Arlon sits 50% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 €14.76

$13.02 MX$221

32.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 €76.3

$46.25 MX$784

92.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.71

$12.59 MX$213

-9.85%

Cappuccino

$2.95 €2.52

$4.00 MX$67.9

-26.25%

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

$2.81 €2.40

$1.42 MX$24.08

97.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.27

$0.81 MX$13.73

228.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.05

$3.05 MX$51.7

16.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.02

$6.82 MX$116

-31.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.04

$1.71 MX$29.04

-28.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 €1.42

$2.22 MX$37.62

-25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 €2.13

$1.72 MX$29.13

44.77%

Eggs

$3.85 €3.29

$2.71 MX$45.99

42.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 €12.68

$9.37 MX$159

58.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.22 €9.60

$8.86 MX$150

26.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.57 €13.32

$12.78 MX$217

21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 €2.73

$3.13 MX$53.0

2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.55 MX$26.24

-27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 €2.02

$2.15 MX$36.51

9.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 €2.67

$2.35 MX$39.89

33.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.02 MX$34.23

-14.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.92

$1.99 MX$33.67

12.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.24 MX$21.09

40.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.19 MX$20.21

-3.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 €9.06

$4.65 MX$78.8

127.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 €6.05

$10.47 MX$177

-32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.58 MX$26.82

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.00

$2.92 MX$49.48

-59.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 €2.06

$0.56 MX$9.53

330.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.20 €36.95

$29.76 MX$504

45.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 €3.41

$5.32 MX$90.2

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 €2.29

$3.72 MX$63.0

-27.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.62

$5.78 MX$97.9

195.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.63

$1.55 MX$26.27

23.23%

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

$36.9K €31.6K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

65.06%

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

$35.2K €30.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

37.70%

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

$272 €233

$89.3 MX$1,513

205.09%

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

$25.94 €22.19

$23.30 MX$395

11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 €45.61

$31.72 MX$538

68.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 €22.02

$29.40 MX$498

-12.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 €7.72

$5.06 MX$85.7

78.26%

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

$883 €755

$222 MX$3,765

297.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 €72.6

$46.21 MX$783

83.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 €45.19

$44.43 MX$753

18.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.5 €44.92

$95.5 MX$1,618

-44.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €97.5

$92.5 MX$1,568

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 €798

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 €829

$393 MX$6,663

146.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 €1,482

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 €1,464

$1,304 MX$22.1K

31.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,321 €3,696

$4,037 MX$68.4K

7.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,024 €3,442

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-39.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,929 €2,505

$747 MX$12.7K

292.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

11.6

-68.53%

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

Last update for Arlon: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Arlon 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 292% 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 $89.0 in Arlon versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $306 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

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

Arlon costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,093 per month in Arlon and $1,995 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 $2,062 in Arlon and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $1,330, than in Arlon at $2,062. 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 $1,330 versus $2,062 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.