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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,474 per month in Candelaria vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Candelaria vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,861 per month in Candelaria vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Candelaria costs about 16% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Candelaria sits 10% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.79 $18.79

$11.87 MX$207

58.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 $79.8

$42.90 MX$749

86.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 $9.50

$10.65 MX$186

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$3.50 $3.50

$3.45 MX$60.2

1.45%

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

$1.70 $1.70

$1.50 MX$26.24

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.95 MX$16.56

51.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.03 MX$52.8

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.61 MX$80.4

-5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.38 MX$24.01

81.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.85 MX$32.24

91.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.61 MX$28.11

34.16%

Eggs

$5.91 $5.91

$2.59 MX$45.26

128.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$8.26 MX$144

5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 $8.32

$8.37 MX$146

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$10.66 MX$186

18.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.63 MX$45.89

124.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.49 MX$25.96

75.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.92 MX$33.50

97.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.09 MX$36.41

93.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.86 MX$32.42

108.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.26 MX$39.47

35.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.06 MX$18.54

179.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.09 MX$18.98

80.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.93 $11.93

$4.15 MX$72.4

187.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 $15.32

$10.39 MX$181

47.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.72 MX$30.09

42.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.61 MX$45.60

23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.51 MX$43.82

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 $14.94

$3.15 MX$55.0

374.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.27 MX$22.25

-19.69%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$30.4K MX$530.1K

18.74%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$23.6K MX$411.3K

13.47%

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

$490 $490

$83.0 MX$1,449

490.19%

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

$79.1 $79.1

$22.71 MX$396

248.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$29.46 MX$514

153.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$4.93 MX$86.0

145.84%

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

$468 $468

$197 MX$3,444

137.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

99.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.56 $46.56

$36.90 MX$644

26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 $56.9

$39.89 MX$696

42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$80.0 MX$1,396

14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$89.5 MX$1,561

17.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$1,646 MX$28.7K

10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Candelaria: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Candelaria versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $250 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,474 in Candelaria, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 16% apart. Candelaria costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,211 per month in Candelaria and $1,906 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 $1,474 in Candelaria and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Candelaria and $197 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Candelaria at $1,474. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Candelaria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,474 in Candelaria. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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