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 $359 per month in Calarasi vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $582 per month in Calarasi vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $805 per month in Calarasi vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Calarasi is about 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Calarasi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 73% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.24 MDL 200

$10.97 MX$198

2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.36 MDL 397

$44.85 MX$811

-50.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 MDL 124

$11.92 MX$216

-41.19%

Cappuccino

$1.37 MDL 24.33

$3.80 MX$68.8

-63.95%

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

$0.76 MDL 13.48

$1.31 MX$23.71

-41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MDL 8.22

$0.86 MX$15.48

-46.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 MDL 19.67

$3.21 MX$58.0

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MDL 25.60

$5.01 MX$90.6

-71.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MDL 18.36

$1.46 MX$26.36

-29.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 MDL 5.75

$2.33 MX$42.06

-86.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.07

Eggs

$1.94 MDL 34.50

$2.46 MX$44.50

-21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$139

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$143

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$231

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.7

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MDL 35.70

$1.42 MX$25.70

41.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.37

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.63

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MDL 11.81

$1.95 MX$35.19

-65.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.00

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.98

$1.22 MX$22.07

-54.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.1

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MDL 20.28

$4.91 MX$88.8

-76.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MDL 28.56

$1.54 MX$27.84

4.55%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

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

$20.3K MDL 360.2K

$24.5K MX$442.6K

-17.17%

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

$60.4 MDL 1,073

$83.6 MX$1,511

-27.72%

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

$6.94 MDL 123

$24.03 MX$434

-71.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.25 MDL 182

$29.33 MX$530

-65.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,172

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 MDL 58.8

$5.09 MX$91.9

-34.97%

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

$208 MX$3,754

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 MDL 612

$44.55 MX$805

-22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 MDL 604

$42.06 MX$760

-19.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MDL 1,944

$75.5 MX$1,365

44.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.27 MDL 609

$91.4 MX$1,652

-62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,962

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Calarasi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Calarasi versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42.00 vs $260 – 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 239%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $538 per month in Calarasi and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 518% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Calarasi and $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.