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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,570 per month in Atlantida vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,548 per month in Atlantida vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,525 per month in Atlantida vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Atlantida costs about 25% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Atlantida sits 18% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.68 UYU 831

$11.99 MX$209

72.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 UYU 2,480

$41.78 MX$728

47.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.24 UYU 492

$10.75 MX$187

13.86%

Cappuccino

$3.56 UYU 143

$3.50 MX$60.9

1.71%

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

$1.74 UYU 69.8

$1.45 MX$25.22

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 UYU 41.10

$0.88 MX$15.41

15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 UYU 114

$2.95 MX$51.3

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 UYU 139

$4.51 MX$78.6

-23.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 UYU 41.90

$1.43 MX$24.94

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 UYU 128

$1.84 MX$31.99

72.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 UYU 57.1

$1.57 MX$27.31

-9.55%

Eggs

$3.95 UYU 159

$2.51 MX$43.74

57.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 UYU 532

$8.28 MX$144

60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 UYU 380

$8.43 MX$147

12.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 UYU 417

$10.68 MX$186

-2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 UYU 95.2

$2.61 MX$45.43

-9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$1.44 MX$25.04

56.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 UYU 51.2

$1.96 MX$34.16

-35.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 UYU 110

$2.09 MX$36.47

31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 UYU 67.4

$1.85 MX$32.24

-9.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.6

$2.17 MX$37.74

-5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 UYU 46.66

$1.03 MX$17.96

12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 UYU 69.0

$1.07 MX$18.70

60.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 UYU 195

$4.10 MX$71.4

18.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 UYU 276

$10.17 MX$177

-32.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.3

$1.68 MX$29.17

36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 UYU 100

$2.53 MX$43.98

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 UYU 109

$0.51 MX$8.87

429.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 UYU 1,840

$26.04 MX$453

75.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 UYU 80.6

$3.23 MX$56.3

-38.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$2.41 MX$41.88

-37.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 UYU 704

$3.23 MX$56.2

442.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 UYU 76.5

$1.32 MX$23.00

43.94%

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

$39.0K UYU 1.6M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

31.24%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

59.01%

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

$85.3 UYU 3,428

$82.0 MX$1,428

4.00%

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

$28.92 UYU 1,162

$22.95 MX$400

26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.70 UYU 1,274

$30.11 MX$524

5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 UYU 2,499

$52.0 MX$905

19.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 UYU 692

$18.53 MX$323

-7.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 UYU 471

$4.98 MX$86.6

135.14%

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

$486 UYU 19.5K

$197 MX$3,438

146.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,864 UYU 356.2K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

66.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 UYU 3,548

$35.60 MX$620

147.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 UYU 1,728

$40.33 MX$702

6.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$206 UYU 8,268

$78.8 MX$1,371

161.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,846

$88.9 MX$1,549

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 UYU 29.9K

$947 MX$16.5K

-21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 UYU 20.7K

$474 MX$8,254

8.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 UYU 52.1K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 UYU 39.1K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-19.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 UYU 81.3K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-50.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 UYU 61.1K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-76.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 UYU 21.2K

$654 MX$11.4K

-19.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Atlantida: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Atlantida versus $947 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 24% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Atlantida versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Atlantida is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,356 per month in Atlantida and $1,884 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Atlantida and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,570 in Atlantida and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Atlantida at $1,570. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Atlantida it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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