Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,704 in Castelo Branco versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,273 in Castelo Branco versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Castelo Branco costs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.44 €9.84

$11.73 MX$203

-2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.18 €35.43

$41.62 MX$720

-1.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.22

$10.64 MX$184

-10.15%

Cappuccino

$1.38 €1.18

$3.52 MX$60.9

-60.80%

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

$1.70 €1.46

$1.51 MX$26.12

12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.97 MX$16.84

19.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.95 MX$51.0

-51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 €3.39

$4.45 MX$77.0

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.38 MX$23.93

-23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.89 MX$32.72

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.22%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$2.51 MX$43.34

16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 €7.76

$8.34 MX$144

8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 €4.39

$8.34 MX$144

-38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 €7.10

$10.73 MX$186

-23.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.60 MX$45.04

-30.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.46 MX$25.20

-10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.90 MX$32.87

-34.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.08 MX$35.91

20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.78 MX$30.71

-40.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.19 MX$37.80

-20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.04 MX$17.99

24.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.08 MX$18.62

-34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.53

$4.08 MX$70.6

57.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$10.32 MX$178

-66.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.71 MX$29.61

-53.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.58 MX$44.54

-58.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.51 MX$8.81

131.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.85 €36.86

$26.46 MX$458

61.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$3.26 MX$56.4

-30.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.61

$2.49 MX$43.09

-71.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.29 €14.87

$3.25 MX$56.2

432.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.31 MX$22.61

45.04%

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

$34.2K €29.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

12.97%

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

$39.5K €34.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

68.54%

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

$98.0 €84.3

$82.9 MX$1,433

18.23%

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

$22.17 €19.07

$22.22 MX$384

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 €37.33

$29.34 MX$507

47.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 €36.45

$51.6 MX$893

-17.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 €6.16

$5.07 MX$87.6

41.22%

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

$647 €557

$201 MX$3,473

222.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €14.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

211.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 €50.3

$36.92 MX$639

58.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 €58.0

$39.79 MX$688

69.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 €63.2

$78.5 MX$1,357

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 €50.6

$87.1 MX$1,506

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 €447

$973 MX$16.8K

-46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 €328

$468 MX$8,090

-18.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 €598

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-57.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €548

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,661 €1,429

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-57.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 €1,211

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-78.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,658 €1,426

$664 MX$11.5K

149.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

11.42

-52.45%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Castelo Branco and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Castelo Branco vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $249 per month, with Castelo Branco cheaper across the board.

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

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

Castelo Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Castelo Branco pays 150% 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: $520 in Castelo Branco versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,136 per month in Castelo Branco versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Castelo Branco but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Castelo Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Castelo Branco 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 Castelo Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.