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: $2,799 in Aruba versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,039 in Aruba versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,279 in Aruba versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Aruba is roughly 116% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aruba is 109% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 AWG 23.59

$11.73 MX$203

12.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 AWG 160

$41.62 MX$720

114.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 AWG 17.96

$10.64 MX$184

-5.64%

Cappuccino

$4.90 AWG 8.77

$3.52 MX$60.9

39.20%

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

$2.31 AWG 4.12

$1.51 MX$26.12

52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 AWG 3.73

$0.97 MX$16.84

115.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 AWG 7.50

$2.95 MX$51.0

42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 AWG 11.20

$4.45 MX$77.0

40.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 AWG 4.27

$1.38 MX$23.93

73.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 AWG 6.66

$1.89 MX$32.72

96.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 AWG 7.02

$1.64 MX$28.32

139.02%

Eggs

$5.61 AWG 10.04

$2.51 MX$43.34

123.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.39 AWG 58.0

$8.34 MX$144

288.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 AWG 11.66

$8.34 MX$144

-21.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 AWG 29.90

$10.73 MX$186

55.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 AWG 10.59

$2.60 MX$45.04

127.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 AWG 5.23

$1.46 MX$25.20

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.95 AWG 12.43

$1.90 MX$32.87

265.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.23 AWG 14.73

$2.08 MX$35.91

295.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 AWG 7.31

$1.78 MX$30.71

129.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 AWG 6.73

$2.19 MX$37.80

71.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 AWG 10.90

$1.04 MX$17.99

485.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 AWG 6.89

$1.08 MX$18.62

256.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.75 AWG 31.76

$4.08 MX$70.6

335.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.08 AWG 32.35

$10.32 MX$178

75.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 AWG 9.07

$2.58 MX$44.54

96.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 AWG 2.53

$1.31 MX$22.61

7.63%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$257 AWG 460

$82.9 MX$1,433

210.20%

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

$131 AWG 234

$22.22 MX$384

489.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 AWG 119

$29.34 MX$507

126.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 AWG 108

$51.6 MX$893

16.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 AWG 23.03

$5.07 MX$87.6

153.85%

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

$304 AWG 544

$201 MX$3,473

51.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

240.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.48 AWG 88.5

$36.92 MX$639

34.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 AWG 117

$39.79 MX$688

64.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 AWG 219

$78.5 MX$1,357

55.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 AWG 1,312

$973 MX$16.8K

-24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 AWG 2,487

$468 MX$8,090

197.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 AWG 5,620

$1,641 MX$28.4K

91.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,018 AWG 7,190

$1,221 MX$21.1K

229.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 AWG 3,391

$664 MX$11.5K

185.38%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Aruba and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 185% 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: $89.0 in Aruba vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $532 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 116% in total monthly costs ($2,799 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Aruba pays 185% more on average, 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: $733 in Aruba versus $973 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 $2,799 per month in Aruba versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,799 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 116% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.