Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Embu das Artes and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Embu das Artes: $849 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Embu das Artes, Brazil
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Embu das Artes
🇧🇷 Brazil
$849
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Embu das Artes and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Embu das Artes and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $849 per month in Embu das Artes vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Embu das Artes $849
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $1,388 per month in Embu das Artes vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Embu das Artes $1,388
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,927 per month in Embu das Artes vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Embu das Artes $1,927
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Embu das Artes is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Embu das Artes and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Embu das Artes 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.50 R$35.76
$10.67 MX$200
-39.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.23 R$205
$43.80 MX$819
-15.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.04 R$44.25
$11.79 MX$220
-31.81%
Cappuccino
$2.10 R$11.53
$3.79 MX$70.8
-44.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 R$7.51
$1.30 MX$24.26
5.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 R$4.72
$0.83 MX$15.59
3.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 R$13.77
$3.15 MX$58.9
-20.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.14 R$22.79
$4.93 MX$92.3
-16.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 R$6.04
$1.41 MX$26.35
-21.99%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 R$9.32
$2.20 MX$41.07
-23.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 R$6.07
$1.47 MX$27.54
-25.17%
Eggs
$2.56 R$14.08
$2.50 MX$46.70
2.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.23 R$45.29
$7.29 MX$136
12.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.06 R$22.33
$7.95 MX$149
-48.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.83 R$54.1
$12.86 MX$241
-23.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 R$13.59
$2.90 MX$54.2
-14.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 R$8.91
$1.38 MX$25.87
17.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 R$7.53
$2.49 MX$46.59
-44.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 R$9.55
$2.03 MX$37.97
-14.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 R$7.00
$2.02 MX$37.88
-37.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.20 R$6.59
$1.90 MX$35.60
-36.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 R$4.96
$1.14 MX$21.41
-21.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 R$3.80
$1.24 MX$23.17
-44.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.64 R$14.53
$4.27 MX$79.9
-38.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.23 R$45.28
$9.81 MX$184
-16.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 R$8.75
$1.59 MX$29.66
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 R$13.08
$2.75 MX$51.3
-13.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$5.43
$0.51 MX$9.63
94.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.02 R$198
$27.39 MX$512
31.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 R$6.02
$4.76 MX$89.1
-77.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.89 R$4.91
$3.25 MX$60.8
-72.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.79 R$37.39
$5.39 MX$101
25.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 R$6.49
$1.53 MX$28.58
-22.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K R$120.5K
$21.2K MX$396.8K
3.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K R$171.8K
$23.3K MX$435.1K
34.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.20 R$249
$83.5 MX$1,562
-45.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.04 R$77.3
$23.19 MX$434
-39.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.46 R$96.1
$27.61 MX$516
-36.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.79 R$142
$56.4 MX$1,056
-54.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.29 R$145
$28.19 MX$527
-6.74%
Cinema Ticket
$7.15 R$39.35
$5.00 MX$93.5
43.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$405 R$2,231
$207 MX$3,873
95.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,641 R$36.6K
$5,231 MX$97.8K
26.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 R$285
$43.45 MX$813
18.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.6 R$295
$42.54 MX$796
25.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 R$496
$72.8 MX$1,361
23.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.0 R$435
$88.4 MX$1,653
-10.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$297 R$1,634
$995 MX$18.6K
-70.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$232 R$1,278
$382 MX$7,152
-39.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$638 R$3,513
$1,674 MX$31.3K
-61.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 R$2,509
$1,081 MX$20.2K
-57.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,705 R$9,385
$3,909 MX$73.1K
-56.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,009 R$5,552
$6,138 MX$114.8K
-83.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Embu das Artes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.12
11.45
-2.88%

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

Last update for Embu das Artes: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Embu das Artes
$232
Playa del Carmen
$382 64.6% $150
Groceries & Markets
Embu das Artes
$200
Playa del Carmen
$257 28.4% $57
Eating Out
Embu das Artes
$131
Playa del Carmen
$200 53% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Embu das Artes
$123
Playa del Carmen
$111 9.9% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Embu das Artes
$77
Playa del Carmen
$134 75.1% $58
Getting Around
Embu das Artes
$46
Playa del Carmen
$50 10.8% $4.9
Sport & Entertainment
Embu das Artes
$40
Playa del Carmen
$66 65.7% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Embu das Artes versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Embu das Artes versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $257 – making Embu das Artes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Embu das Artes
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
16:13 4:13 PM
14:13 2:13 PM
2 h behind Embu das Artes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
250,691
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.5 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.18 BRL (1 BRL = 0.162 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 21.01 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Embu das Artes Playa del Carmen 6,570 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Embu das Artes
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Embu das Artes vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Embu das Artes and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $849 in Embu das Artes, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Embu das Artes comes out roughly 29% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Embu das Artes compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,274 per month in Embu das Artes and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Embu das Artes and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Embu das Artes, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $297 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city is more expensive overall: Embu das Artes or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $849 in Embu das Artes and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Embu das Artes about 29% cheaper.
How do commuting costs compare in Embu das Artes and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 24% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Embu das Artes, where all-in costs run around $849, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Embu das Artes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Embu das Artes and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $849 in Embu das Artes to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Embu das Artes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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