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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,500 in Cartago versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,128 in Cartago versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,757 in Cartago versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cartago is roughly 18% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 12% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 ₡3,508

$11.87 MX$204

-34.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.28 ₡14.1K

$42.90 MX$736

-27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 ₡4,101

$10.65 MX$183

-14.74%

Cappuccino

$3.82 ₡1,724

$3.45 MX$59.2

10.72%

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

$2.02 ₡913

$1.50 MX$25.81

34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₡561

$0.95 MX$16.28

30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₡877

$3.03 MX$51.9

-35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 ₡2,086

$4.61 MX$79.1

0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡889

$1.38 MX$23.61

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ₡977

$1.85 MX$31.70

16.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ₡976

$1.61 MX$27.65

34.16%

Eggs

$2.91 ₡1,313

$2.59 MX$44.51

12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,506

$8.26 MX$142

-6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 ₡4,046

$8.37 MX$144

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ₡6,214

$10.66 MX$183

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 ₡2,015

$2.63 MX$45.12

69.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₡544

$1.49 MX$25.53

-19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 ₡1,763

$1.92 MX$32.94

103.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 ₡1,223

$2.09 MX$35.81

29.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₡920

$1.86 MX$31.88

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ₡925

$2.26 MX$38.81

-9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ₡458

$1.06 MX$18.23

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₡875

$1.09 MX$18.67

77.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 ₡2,395

$4.15 MX$71.2

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 ₡6,951

$10.39 MX$178

48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 ₡1,149

$1.72 MX$29.59

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₡820

$2.61 MX$44.85

-30.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 ₡477

$0.54 MX$9.30

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.2 ₡31.3K

$26.94 MX$462

156.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ₡633

$3.13 MX$53.7

-55.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 ₡845

$2.51 MX$43.09

-25.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,558

$3.15 MX$54.1

149.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₡661

$1.27 MX$21.88

14.96%

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

$37.2K ₡16.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

22.50%

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

$33.1K ₡15.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

40.44%

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

$47.76 ₡21.6K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-42.46%

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

$26.03 ₡11.8K

$22.71 MX$390

14.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 ₡26.1K

$29.46 MX$506

96.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 ₡26.1K

$51.0 MX$875

13.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.52 ₡10.6K

$18.33 MX$315

28.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ₡2,896

$4.93 MX$84.5

30.02%

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

$496 ₡224.2K

$197 MX$3,386

151.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,129 ₡3.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

35.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ₡28.0K

$36.90 MX$633

67.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.0K

$39.89 MX$685

27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₡49.2K

$80.0 MX$1,373

36.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 ₡36.0K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡339.3K

$956 MX$16.4K

-21.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 ₡265.8K

$477 MX$8,189

23.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₡340.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-54.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 ₡339.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-38.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,335 ₡603.2K

$667 MX$11.4K

100.16%

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 Cartago: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $751 in Cartago and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 100% 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: $31.00 in Cartago vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $314 vs $250, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cartago pays 100% 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: $751 in Cartago versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 157% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $496 in Cartago versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Cartago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cartago 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 18% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.