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: $1,476 in Cartago versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,142 in Cartago versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,808 in Cartago versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cartago is roughly 15% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartago is 10% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 ₡3,612

$11.94 MX$208

-33.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.36 ₡14.3K

$42.75 MX$744

-26.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 ₡4,152

$10.59 MX$184

-13.98%

Cappuccino

$3.95 ₡1,797

$3.62 MX$63.0

9.12%

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

$2.03 ₡924

$1.47 MX$25.54

38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₡559

$0.94 MX$16.41

30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₡923

$3.09 MX$53.8

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,164

$4.46 MX$77.6

6.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡899

$1.43 MX$24.80

37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₡1,017

$1.88 MX$32.79

18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ₡1,027

$1.63 MX$28.34

38.04%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,356

$2.64 MX$45.99

12.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 ₡3,537

$8.21 MX$143

-5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 ₡4,122

$8.29 MX$144

9.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 ₡6,129

$11.10 MX$193

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₡2,069

$2.65 MX$46.14

71.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 ₡528

$1.50 MX$26.11

-22.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 ₡1,794

$1.99 MX$34.59

97.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 ₡1,256

$2.08 MX$36.13

32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 ₡895

$1.79 MX$31.11

9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ₡927

$2.18 MX$37.87

-6.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡443

$1.08 MX$18.73

-10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₡886

$1.04 MX$18.04

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 ₡2,450

$3.97 MX$69.1

35.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 ₡6,977

$10.20 MX$178

50.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,142

$1.73 MX$30.04

45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ₡832

$2.50 MX$43.46

-26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ₡469

$0.52 MX$9.02

98.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 ₡31.6K

$26.97 MX$469

157.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₡640

$3.14 MX$54.7

-55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 ₡842

$2.40 MX$41.80

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 ₡3,587

$3.09 MX$53.7

154.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡662

$1.27 MX$22.16

14.17%

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

$37.8K ₡17.2M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

22.31%

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

$33.0K ₡15.0M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

41.63%

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

$47.45 ₡21.6K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-42.14%

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

$25.90 ₡11.8K

$22.45 MX$391

15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 ₡26.0K

$29.66 MX$516

92.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₡25.6K

$51.9 MX$903

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.30 ₡11.1K

$18.67 MX$325

30.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 ₡2,897

$4.97 MX$86.5

27.97%

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

$507 ₡230.9K

$198 MX$3,442

156.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,204 ₡3.3M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

36.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 ₡28.4K

$36.34 MX$632

71.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 ₡23.8K

$40.05 MX$697

30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 ₡50.7K

$79.9 MX$1,390

39.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ₡36.4K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₡349.3K

$963 MX$16.8K

-20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 ₡266.9K

$465 MX$8,086

26.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 ₡336.9K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₡352.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-35.96%

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)

$1,331 ₡606.4K

$720 MX$12.5K

84.80%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $767 in Cartago and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 85% 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 $315 vs $251, 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cartago pays 85% 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: $767 in Cartago versus $963 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 $507 in Cartago versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,476 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 15% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.