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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $682 per month in Calarasi vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Calarasi vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,473 per month in Calarasi vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Calarasi is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Calarasi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 MDL 152

$11.94 MX$208

-26.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.52 MDL 632

$42.75 MX$744

-14.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 MDL 129

$10.59 MX$184

-29.84%

Cappuccino

$1.79 MDL 31.03

$3.62 MX$63.0

-50.55%

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

$0.94 MDL 16.23

$1.47 MX$25.54

-36.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MDL 11.34

$0.94 MX$16.41

-29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 MDL 29.74

$3.09 MX$53.8

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 40.12

$4.46 MX$77.6

-47.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 MDL 21.17

$1.43 MX$24.80

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.55

$1.88 MX$32.79

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.88

$1.63 MX$28.34

-7.98%

Eggs

$2.61 MDL 45.14

$2.64 MX$45.99

-1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 MDL 181

$8.21 MX$143

27.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 MDL 92.0

$8.29 MX$144

-35.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 MDL 154

$11.10 MX$193

-20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.36

$2.65 MX$46.14

-68.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.73

$1.50 MX$26.11

18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MDL 29.39

$1.99 MX$34.59

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MDL 37.20

$2.08 MX$36.13

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.34

$1.79 MX$31.11

-53.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.30

$2.18 MX$37.87

-72.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.43

$1.08 MX$18.73

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.22

$1.04 MX$18.04

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 MDL 56.6

$3.97 MX$69.1

-17.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MDL 21.23

$1.73 MX$30.04

-28.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MDL 34.68

$2.50 MX$43.46

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 MDL 35.10

$3.14 MX$54.7

-35.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$2.40 MX$41.80

-88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 MDL 91.3

$3.09 MX$53.7

70.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MDL 23.80

$1.27 MX$22.16

8.66%

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

$32.8K MDL 567.2K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

6.10%

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

$30.5K MDL 527.3K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

30.66%

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

$173 MDL 2,994

$82.0 MX$1,427

110.89%

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

$7.55 MDL 131

$22.45 MX$391

-66.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 MDL 191

$29.66 MX$516

-62.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 130

$4.97 MX$86.5

50.70%

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

$390 MDL 6,749

$198 MX$3,442

97.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,684 MDL 133.0K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

45.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 MDL 1,154

$36.34 MX$632

83.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 MDL 924

$40.05 MX$697

33.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,924

$79.9 MX$1,390

39.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MDL 2,160

$88.9 MX$1,547

40.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.42

-19.09%

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

Last update for Calarasi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Calarasi versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $251 – making Calarasi 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,023 per month in Calarasi and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $682 in Calarasi and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Calarasi and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.