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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Cricova versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,825 in Cricova versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cricova costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cricova 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 145

$13.02 MX$221

-34.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.10 MDL 494

$46.25 MX$784

-37.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 MDL 185

$12.59 MX$213

-13.50%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MDL 18.32

$4.00 MX$67.9

-73.00%

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

$1.09 MDL 18.47

$1.42 MX$24.08

-23.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 MDL 12.35

$0.81 MX$13.73

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 MDL 34.27

$3.05 MX$51.7

-33.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 38.68

$6.82 MX$116

-66.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 MDL 42.60

$1.71 MX$29.04

46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.89

$2.22 MX$37.62

-76.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.49

$1.72 MX$29.13

-36.63%

Eggs

$1.30 MDL 22.06

$2.71 MX$45.99

-52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 MDL 118

$9.37 MX$159

-25.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 MDL 80.0

$8.86 MX$150

-46.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 MDL 214

$12.78 MX$217

-1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.31

$3.13 MX$53.0

-63.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.15

$1.55 MX$26.24

-46.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 MDL 19.09

$2.15 MX$36.51

-47.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$2.35 MX$39.89

-51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MDL 12.84

$2.02 MX$34.23

-62.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MDL 19.36

$1.99 MX$33.67

-42.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MDL 18.57

$1.24 MX$21.09

-12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 18.42

$1.19 MX$20.21

-9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 57.4

$4.65 MX$78.8

-27.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 MDL 80.2

$10.47 MX$177

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MDL 45.17

$1.58 MX$26.82

68.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 MDL 76.2

$2.92 MX$49.48

53.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MDL 10.27

$0.56 MX$9.53

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.42 MDL 398

$29.76 MX$504

-21.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 MDL 19.21

$5.32 MX$90.2

-78.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.63

$3.72 MX$63.0

-92.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 MDL 117

$5.78 MX$97.9

19.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 23.20

$1.55 MX$26.27

-11.61%

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

$30.3K MDL 514.0K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

35.31%

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

$25.2K MDL 427.1K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-1.64%

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

$249 MDL 4,235

$89.3 MX$1,513

179.33%

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

$8.20 MDL 139

$23.30 MX$395

-64.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.79 MDL 200

$31.72 MX$538

-62.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 MDL 998

$68.8 MX$1,165

-14.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.72 MDL 199

$29.40 MX$498

-60.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 MDL 135

$5.06 MX$85.7

57.31%

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

$119 MDL 2,015

$222 MX$3,765

-46.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,386 MDL 91.5K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

25.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 MDL 974

$46.21 MX$783

24.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 MDL 490

$44.43 MX$753

-35.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 MDL 1,472

$95.5 MX$1,618

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MDL 1,949

$92.5 MX$1,568

24.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MDL 15.9K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MDL 3,881

$393 MX$6,663

-41.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 MDL 24.6K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-27.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 MDL 19.8K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-10.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,942 MDL 50.0K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-27.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 MDL 34.2K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-69.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 MDL 9,924

$747 MX$12.7K

-21.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

-39.66%

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

Last update for Cricova: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $936 in Cricova and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 28% 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: $29.00 in Cricova vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $277 per month, with Cricova 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

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

Cricova and Playa del Carmen differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,053 vs $1,330 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% 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: $936 in Cricova 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 Cricova runs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $119 in Cricova versus $222 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,053 in Cricova versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cricova but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cricova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cricova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.