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: $741 in Criciuma versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Criciuma versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,486 in Criciuma versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 R$30.47

$11.71 MX$198

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.26 R$109

$46.59 MX$787

-54.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 R$29.29

$11.65 MX$197

-50.90%

Cappuccino

$1.34 R$6.85

$4.09 MX$69.2

-67.24%

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

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.37 MX$23.23

-21.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.89

$0.83 MX$14.09

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 R$7.99

$3.35 MX$56.7

-53.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 R$9.99

$6.91 MX$117

-71.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.84

$1.73 MX$29.19

-45.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 R$7.57

$2.26 MX$38.20

-34.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.37

$1.77 MX$29.90

-40.68%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.25

$2.73 MX$46.18

-26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 R$41.95

$9.18 MX$155

-10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$18.04

$8.92 MX$151

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.50 R$43.55

$12.60 MX$213

-32.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.41

$3.02 MX$51.1

-32.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.00

$1.57 MX$26.54

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.59

$2.13 MX$35.92

-57.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.95

$2.26 MX$38.27

-31.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$2.00 MX$33.87

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.33

$2.06 MX$34.89

-49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$4.01

$1.18 MX$19.94

-33.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.46

$1.20 MX$20.35

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 R$12.65

$4.63 MX$78.3

-46.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 R$24.26

$10.69 MX$181

-55.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.54

$1.62 MX$27.37

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 R$7.14

$2.88 MX$48.69

-51.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.57 MX$9.69

70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.28 R$201

$29.83 MX$504

31.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 R$2.27

$5.45 MX$92.1

-91.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.29

$3.70 MX$62.6

-77.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 R$11.96

$5.98 MX$101

-61.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.51

$1.55 MX$26.25

-18.06%

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

$23.0K R$118.0K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

3.19%

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

$30.8K R$157.9K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

18.79%

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

$70.7 R$362

$89.1 MX$1,506

-20.73%

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

$11.83 R$60.6

$25.04 MX$423

-52.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.15 R$108

$31.50 MX$532

-32.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 R$144

$67.8 MX$1,145

-58.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.53 R$197

$28.92 MX$489

33.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 R$35.03

$5.05 MX$85.3

35.45%

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

$166 R$852

$225 MX$3,802

-26.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,877 R$14.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-31.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 R$252

$47.44 MX$802

3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 R$149

$44.98 MX$760

-35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 R$412

$82.0 MX$1,386

-1.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.30 R$212

$92.1 MX$1,556

-55.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 R$1,185

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-78.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 R$1,052

$405 MX$6,850

-49.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 R$1,984

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-79.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,328

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-80.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,182 R$6,054

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-70.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$635 R$3,256

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-90.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 R$1,534

$749 MX$12.7K

-60.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.74

11.45

-6.20%

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

Last update for Criciuma: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Criciuma and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 150% 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: $21.00 in Criciuma vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $277 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 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 150% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $231 in Criciuma versus $1,069 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Criciuma versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $741 in Criciuma versus $1,293 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 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.