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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $772 per month in Contenda vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,195 per month in Contenda vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,618 per month in Contenda vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Contenda is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Contenda and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Contenda 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 R$18.78

$11.73 MX$205

-68.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 R$55.2

$41.62 MX$727

-74.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.34

$10.64 MX$186

-40.98%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.87

$3.52 MX$61.5

-45.45%

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

$1.20 R$6.19

$1.51 MX$26.37

-20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.86

$0.97 MX$17.00

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 R$9.20

$2.95 MX$51.5

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R$9.45

$4.45 MX$77.8

-58.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 R$4.47

$1.38 MX$24.16

-36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 R$7.50

$1.89 MX$33.04

-22.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.64 MX$28.59

-28.05%

Eggs

$2.17 R$11.20

$2.51 MX$43.76

-13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 R$49.76

$8.34 MX$146

15.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 R$17.64

$8.34 MX$146

-58.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 R$37.31

$10.73 MX$187

-32.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 R$11.79

$2.60 MX$45.48

-11.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.46 MX$25.45

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.71

$1.90 MX$33.19

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.30

$2.08 MX$36.26

-41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.82

$1.78 MX$31.01

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.42

$2.19 MX$38.16

-52.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.55

$1.04 MX$18.16

-33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.76

$1.08 MX$18.80

-32.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 R$11.28

$4.08 MX$71.3

-46.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 R$20.70

$10.32 MX$180

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 R$7.60

$1.71 MX$29.90

-13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R$9.35

$2.58 MX$44.98

-29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.83

$0.51 MX$8.90

84.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 R$196

$26.46 MX$462

43.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.70

$3.26 MX$57.0

-65.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.29

$2.49 MX$43.51

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 R$39.74

$3.25 MX$56.7

137.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.42

$1.31 MX$22.83

-19.85%

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

$16.3K R$83.8K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-46.30%

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

$19.5K R$100.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

-16.76%

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

$65.7 R$339

$82.9 MX$1,447

-20.68%

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

$7.18 R$37.00

$22.22 MX$388

-67.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 R$91.6

$29.34 MX$512

-39.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.86 R$118

$51.6 MX$902

-55.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 R$111

$18.32 MX$320

17.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 R$36.82

$5.07 MX$88.5

41.03%

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

$448 R$2,306

$201 MX$3,507

122.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,448 R$48.7K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

81.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 R$343

$36.92 MX$645

80.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 R$328

$39.79 MX$695

59.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 R$432

$78.5 MX$1,370

6.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 R$303

$87.1 MX$1,521

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,652

$973 MX$17.0K

-67.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,122

$468 MX$8,169

-53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$3,009

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-64.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 R$2,215

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-64.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 R$7,028

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-65.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,101 R$5,672

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-83.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.42

6.13%

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

Last update for Contenda: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Contenda versus $973 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Contenda versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $249 – making Contenda 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Contenda, 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 $1,158 per month in Contenda and $1,945 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 Contenda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $448 per month in Contenda and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Contenda, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Contenda 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. Contenda costs $772 versus $1,297 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 Contenda. 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.