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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Criciuma versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Criciuma versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,328 in Criciuma versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 R$24.10

$11.61 MX$201

-58.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 R$110

$42.75 MX$742

-48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 R$26.28

$10.60 MX$184

-50.19%

Cappuccino

$1.25 R$6.22

$3.59 MX$62.3

-65.18%

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

$0.85 R$4.25

$1.45 MX$25.21

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.85

$0.90 MX$15.58

-36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R$8.17

$3.03 MX$52.6

-45.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 R$7.52

$4.56 MX$79.2

-66.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 R$4.29

$1.45 MX$25.20

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.83 MX$31.72

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.86

$1.61 MX$27.92

-39.13%

Eggs

$1.77 R$8.82

$2.54 MX$44.05

-30.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.71

$8.54 MX$148

-6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 R$15.96

$8.47 MX$147

-62.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 R$34.06

$10.86 MX$189

-37.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.26

$2.73 MX$47.37

-31.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.46

$1.49 MX$25.91

-39.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 R$4.21

$1.94 MX$33.73

-56.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.25

$2.16 MX$37.57

-42.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.89

$1.85 MX$32.05

-47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.08

$2.19 MX$38.00

-53.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.48

$1.07 MX$18.62

-34.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.12

$1.08 MX$18.81

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R$12.67

$4.06 MX$70.5

-37.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.91 R$24.45

$10.46 MX$182

-53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.13

$1.65 MX$28.71

-37.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.24

$2.55 MX$44.23

-50.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.34

$0.56 MX$9.65

55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 R$159

$26.20 MX$455

22.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 R$2.08

$3.14 MX$54.5

-86.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.06

$2.37 MX$41.17

-56.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 R$10.60

$3.24 MX$56.2

-34.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.43

$1.31 MX$22.81

-16.79%

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

$19.9K R$99.1K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-34.87%

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

$25.6K R$127.3K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

7.29%

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

$58.4 R$291

$83.1 MX$1,443

-29.73%

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

$14.10 R$70.2

$22.15 MX$385

-36.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 R$104

$29.37 MX$510

-29.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.92 R$124

$51.2 MX$889

-51.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.63 R$108

$18.69 MX$324

15.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 R$39.05

$4.89 MX$84.9

60.33%

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

$126 R$628

$199 MX$3,449

-36.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,500 R$7,469

$5,207 MX$90.4K

-71.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.63 R$123

$35.93 MX$624

-31.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.13 R$150

$39.39 MX$684

-23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$339

$80.3 MX$1,394

-15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.62 R$157

$87.6 MX$1,520

-63.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,101

$963 MX$16.7K

-77.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 R$985

$482 MX$8,370

-58.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 R$1,475

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-82.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,228

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-79.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 R$5,921

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-69.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$641 R$3,195

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-90.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 R$1,595

$726 MX$12.6K

-55.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.4

11.42

-26.44%

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

Last update for Criciuma: April 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Criciuma and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 127% 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: $22 in Criciuma vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $253 per month, with Criciuma 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

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

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 127% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Criciuma 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 Criciuma runs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Criciuma versus $199 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $679 in Criciuma versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma 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.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.