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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,075 per month in Castro vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,630 per month in Castro vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,184 per month in Castro vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Castro is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Castro and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Castro 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 CLP 8,162

$11.99 MX$210

-26.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 CLP 41.4K

$41.78 MX$733

6.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 CLP 7,480

$10.75 MX$189

-25.30%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,648

$3.50 MX$61.3

-18.86%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,212

$1.45 MX$25.41

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 989

$0.88 MX$15.52

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,945

$2.95 MX$51.7

7.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CLP 3,854

$4.51 MX$79.1

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 CLP 1,050

$1.43 MX$25.12

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 CLP 1,375

$1.84 MX$32.23

-19.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 CLP 1,281

$1.57 MX$27.51

-12.10%

Eggs

$4.44 CLP 4,131

$2.51 MX$44.06

76.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CLP 9,469

$8.28 MX$145

22.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 CLP 4,031

$8.43 MX$148

-48.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 CLP 8,275

$10.68 MX$187

-16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 CLP 1,336

$2.61 MX$45.76

-45.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CLP 2,167

$1.44 MX$25.22

61.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,472

$1.96 MX$34.41

-19.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 CLP 1,953

$2.09 MX$36.74

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,145

$1.85 MX$32.47

-33.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,264

$2.17 MX$38.02

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,129

$1.03 MX$18.09

17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,135

$1.07 MX$18.84

14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,920

$4.10 MX$72.0

28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 CLP 7,371

$10.17 MX$178

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,439

$1.68 MX$29.38

-7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CLP 2,054

$2.53 MX$44.31

-12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 CLP 700

$0.51 MX$8.93

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 447

$3.23 MX$56.7

-85.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,269

$1.32 MX$23.17

3.03%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-34.00%

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

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-8.43%

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

$129 CLP 120.5K

$82.0 MX$1,439

57.75%

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

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

$22.95 MX$403

-41.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.73 CLP 20.2K

$30.11 MX$528

-27.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 CLP 36.5K

$52.0 MX$912

-24.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 CLP 19.6K

$18.53 MX$325

13.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 CLP 5,116

$4.98 MX$87.3

10.24%

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

$433 CLP 403.4K

$197 MX$3,463

119.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CLP 47.6K

$35.60 MX$624

43.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.65 CLP 28.5K

$40.33 MX$707

-24.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 CLP 57.5K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-21.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 CLP 77.1K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 CLP 441.2K

$947 MX$16.6K

-49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 343.4K

$474 MX$8,314

-22.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 821.3K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-46.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 CLP 580.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-48.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 CLP 592.5K

$654 MX$11.5K

-2.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for Castro: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Castro versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Castro versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Castro vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Castro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Castro, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,613 per month in Castro and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,075 in Castro and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Castro 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castro, where all-in costs run around $1,075, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Castro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castro costs $1,075 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castro. 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.