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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $778 in Crato versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Crato versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,719 in Crato versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Crato costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Crato 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 R$26.28

$11.94 MX$209

-55.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 R$133

$42.75 MX$748

-37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.23

$10.59 MX$185

-39.00%

Cappuccino

$1.74 R$8.66

$3.62 MX$63.4

-51.93%

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

$1.08 R$5.37

$1.47 MX$25.69

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.08

$0.94 MX$16.51

-34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.90

$3.09 MX$54.1

-42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$13.85

$4.46 MX$78.0

-37.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.94

$1.43 MX$24.94

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.53

$1.88 MX$32.97

-19.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.70

$1.63 MX$28.50

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.65

$2.64 MX$46.26

-26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R$42.09

$8.21 MX$144

2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.69

$8.29 MX$145

-57.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 R$35.54

$11.10 MX$194

-35.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 R$10.24

$2.65 MX$46.40

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.30

$1.50 MX$26.26

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$5.97

$1.99 MX$34.79

-39.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.26

$2.08 MX$36.33

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.74

$1.79 MX$31.29

-35.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.31

$2.18 MX$38.09

-51.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$1.08 MX$18.84

-36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.30

$1.04 MX$18.15

-36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 R$10.79

$3.97 MX$69.5

-45.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 R$34.72

$10.20 MX$179

-31.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.06

$1.73 MX$30.22

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.39

$2.50 MX$43.71

-16.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.27

$0.52 MX$9.07

65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.50 R$192

$26.97 MX$472

42.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.26

$3.14 MX$55.0

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$2.40 MX$42.04

-70.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 R$32.47

$3.09 MX$54.0

110.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.40

$1.27 MX$22.28

-14.96%

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

$21.0K R$104.8K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-31.98%

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

$27.3K R$136.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

16.92%

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

$59.9 R$299

$82.0 MX$1,435

-26.98%

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

$13.71 R$68.4

$22.45 MX$393

-38.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 R$94.9

$29.66 MX$519

-35.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.91 R$114

$51.9 MX$908

-55.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 R$107

$18.67 MX$327

15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.25

$4.97 MX$87.0

29.98%

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

$267 R$1,335

$198 MX$3,462

35.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,453 R$32.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

22.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.07 R$240

$36.34 MX$636

32.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 R$209

$40.05 MX$701

4.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 R$380

$79.9 MX$1,398

-4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 R$321

$88.9 MX$1,555

-27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,580

$963 MX$16.9K

-67.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,099

$465 MX$8,133

-52.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,875

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-63.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 R$2,105

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-65.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,458 R$7,274

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-63.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 R$5,930

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-81.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.42

-4.38%

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

Last update for Crato: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Crato and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Crato vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $251 per month, with Crato 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

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

Crato wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Crato the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,167 in Crato and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Crato 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 Crato runs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $267 in Crato versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Crato versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Crato but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Crato the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Crato delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $778 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Crato hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Crato gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.