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: $1,054 in Cricova versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Cricova versus $2,144 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,706 in Cricova versus $3,072 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cricova costs roughly 13% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cricova 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 MDL 151

$10.97 MX$198

-22.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.14 MDL 500

$44.85 MX$811

-37.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 MDL 187

$11.92 MX$216

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$1.04 MDL 18.48

$3.80 MX$68.8

-72.63%

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

$1.09 MDL 19.34

$1.31 MX$23.71

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 MDL 11.82

$0.86 MX$15.48

-22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 MDL 36.14

$3.21 MX$58.0

-36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MDL 39.75

$5.01 MX$90.6

-55.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 MDL 41.59

$1.46 MX$26.36

60.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MDL 8.84

$2.33 MX$42.06

-78.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.55

$1.44 MX$26.07

-23.61%

Eggs

$1.25 MDL 22.27

$2.46 MX$44.50

-49.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 MDL 118

$7.70 MX$139

-14.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MDL 82.7

$7.89 MX$143

-40.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 MDL 216

$12.80 MX$231

-4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MDL 19.26

$2.92 MX$52.7

-63.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 MDL 14.43

$1.42 MX$25.70

-42.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.59

$2.57 MX$46.37

-59.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MDL 19.46

$2.14 MX$38.63

-48.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MDL 12.93

$1.95 MX$35.19

-62.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MDL 18.62

$1.94 MX$35.00

-45.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MDL 18.61

$1.15 MX$20.80

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MDL 19.27

$1.22 MX$22.07

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MDL 60.4

$4.38 MX$79.1

-22.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.46 MDL 79.2

$9.85 MX$178

-54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 MDL 45.26

$1.54 MX$27.79

65.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MDL 76.5

$2.72 MX$49.08

58.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MDL 9.92

$0.52 MX$9.49

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.18 MDL 394

$27.42 MX$496

-19.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MDL 19.49

$4.91 MX$88.8

-77.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 MDL 4.22

$3.52 MX$63.7

-93.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 MDL 123

$5.69 MX$103

21.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MDL 24.41

$1.54 MX$27.84

-11.04%

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

$29.8K MDL 528.9K

$21.2K MX$383.9K

40.22%

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

$24.0K MDL 426.5K

$24.5K MX$442.6K

-1.93%

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

$239 MDL 4,239

$83.6 MX$1,511

185.48%

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

$7.95 MDL 141

$24.03 MX$434

-66.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.17 MDL 198

$29.33 MX$530

-61.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 MDL 1,007

$64.9 MX$1,172

-12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.26 MDL 200

$29.46 MX$532

-61.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 MDL 138

$5.09 MX$91.9

53.05%

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

$112 MDL 1,997

$208 MX$3,754

-45.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,258 MDL 93.4K

$4,045 MX$73.1K

29.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MDL 1,006

$44.55 MX$805

27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 MDL 510

$42.06 MX$760

-31.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 MDL 1,477

$75.5 MX$1,365

10.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MDL 2,014

$91.4 MX$1,652

24.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MDL 16.3K

$986 MX$17.8K

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 MDL 3,957

$385 MX$6,962

-42.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 MDL 25.0K

$1,713 MX$31.0K

-17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MDL 19.8K

$1,108 MX$20.0K

0.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 MDL 49.7K

$4,016 MX$72.6K

-30.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MDL 35.1K

$6,247 MX$112.9K

-68.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 MDL 10.3K

$758 MX$13.7K

-23.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-38.86%

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

Last update for Cricova: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $918 in Cricova and $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 30% 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: $28.00 in Cricova vs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $260 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,054 vs $1,215 including rent). Cricova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $918 in Cricova versus $986 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 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $112 in Cricova versus $208 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Cricova versus $1,215 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 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.