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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,873 in Aruba versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,038 in Aruba versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,204 in Aruba versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Aruba is roughly 129% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 115% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.13 AWG 23.50

$11.99 MX$210

9.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.6 AWG 164

$41.78 MX$733

119.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 AWG 17.74

$10.75 MX$189

-7.81%

Cappuccino

$4.82 AWG 8.62

$3.50 MX$61.3

37.71%

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

$2.26 AWG 4.04

$1.45 MX$25.41

55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$0.88 MX$15.52

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 AWG 7.46

$2.95 MX$51.7

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 AWG 10.65

$4.51 MX$79.1

31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.43 MX$25.12

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 AWG 6.70

$1.84 MX$32.23

103.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 AWG 6.98

$1.57 MX$27.51

148.41%

Eggs

$5.62 AWG 10.06

$2.51 MX$44.06

123.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.28 AWG 57.8

$8.28 MX$145

289.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 AWG 12.08

$8.43 MX$148

-19.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.91

$10.68 MX$187

56.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$2.61 MX$45.76

127.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.07

$1.44 MX$25.22

96.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.05 AWG 12.61

$1.96 MX$34.41

259.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.16 AWG 14.60

$2.09 MX$36.74

290.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 AWG 7.09

$1.85 MX$32.47

114.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 AWG 6.86

$2.17 MX$38.02

76.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.95 AWG 10.64

$1.03 MX$18.09

477.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 AWG 6.61

$1.07 MX$18.84

245.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.43 AWG 31.20

$4.10 MX$72.0

325.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 AWG 32.59

$10.17 MX$178

79.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 AWG 8.89

$2.53 MX$44.31

96.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 AWG 2.57

$1.32 MX$23.17

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$254 AWG 454

$82.0 MX$1,439

209.16%

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

$130 AWG 233

$22.95 MX$403

466.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$30.11 MX$528

120.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 AWG 109

$52.0 MX$912

17.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$12.96 AWG 23.19

$4.98 MX$87.3

160.24%

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

$301 AWG 539

$197 MX$3,463

52.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

234.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.11 AWG 87.9

$35.60 MX$624

37.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 AWG 116

$40.33 MX$707

60.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 AWG 214

$78.8 MX$1,381

51.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 AWG 1,307

$947 MX$16.6K

-22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 AWG 2,485

$474 MX$8,314

192.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,245 AWG 5,806

$1,644 MX$28.8K

97.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 AWG 7,280

$1,211 MX$21.2K

236.04%

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)

$1,939 AWG 3,470

$654 MX$11.5K

196.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Aruba: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Aruba and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 197% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in Aruba vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Aruba and Playa del Carmen differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 197% higher in Aruba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Aruba versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 113% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Aruba versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,873 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aruba and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.