Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Foz do Iguaçu and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Foz do Iguaçu: $893 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Foz do Iguaçu
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Foz do Iguaçu Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Foz do Iguaçu

🇧🇷 Brazil

$893

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Foz do Iguaçu 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 Foz do Iguaçu and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $893 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Foz do Iguaçu $893
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Foz do Iguaçu $1,354
Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Foz do Iguaçu $1,816
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Foz do Iguaçu is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Foz do Iguaçu and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Foz do Iguaçu 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 R$31.79

$10.86 MX$201

-42.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 R$203

$44.21 MX$817

-9.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 R$34.08

$11.76 MX$217

-42.86%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.53

$3.68 MX$68.0

-48.91%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.34 MX$24.79

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.06

$0.82 MX$15.24

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 R$7.93

$3.06 MX$56.6

-48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 R$14.24

$4.94 MX$91.2

-43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.88

$1.47 MX$27.17

-34.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.60

$2.22 MX$40.95

-32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.70

$1.48 MX$27.32

16.22%

Eggs

$2.74 R$13.91

$2.49 MX$45.99

10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.54

$7.52 MX$139

9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 R$20.73

$7.96 MX$147

-48.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.34 R$42.29

$12.57 MX$232

-33.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 R$11.17

$2.78 MX$51.3

-20.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.43 MX$26.37

-16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.17

$2.62 MX$48.37

-61.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.39

$2.14 MX$39.49

-41.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$2.02 MX$37.38

-48.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$1.99 MX$36.74

-47.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 R$4.15

$1.14 MX$21.01

-28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.58

$1.20 MX$22.18

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 R$14.91

$4.26 MX$78.7

-30.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 R$41.63

$10.02 MX$185

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.39

$1.54 MX$28.41

20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R$14.13

$2.66 MX$49.17

4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.17

$0.53 MX$9.73

92.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 R$273

$27.51 MX$508

95.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 R$5.30

$4.90 MX$90.6

-78.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 R$7.35

$3.43 MX$63.5

-57.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.14

$1.45 MX$26.76

-16.55%

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

$18.8K R$95.1K

$21.2K MX$391.0K

-11.34%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

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

$71.6 R$363

$85.4 MX$1,577

-16.08%

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

$19.94 R$101

$23.46 MX$434

-15.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 R$103

$28.43 MX$525

-28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.39 R$103

$62.2 MX$1,149

-67.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 R$30.53

$28.68 MX$530

-79.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.41 R$42.65

$5.10 MX$94.3

64.90%

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

$248 R$1,256

$201 MX$3,715

23.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.87 R$233

$44.39 MX$820

3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.99 R$91.2

$41.35 MX$764

-56.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.25 R$250

$72.7 MX$1,344

-32.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.97 R$198

$89.6 MX$1,656

-56.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R$1,835

$979 MX$18.1K

-63.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 R$1,540

$373 MX$6,887

-18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R$3,397

$1,681 MX$31.1K

-60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 R$2,308

$1,095 MX$20.2K

-58.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 R$6,332

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-68.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$887 R$4,499

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-85.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 R$1,938

$738 MX$13.6K

-48.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.16

11.45

-28.73%

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

Last update for Foz do Iguaçu: October 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Foz do Iguaçu

$304 34%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 22.7% $69

Groceries & Markets

Foz do Iguaçu

$192 21.5%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 34.8% $67

Eating Out

Foz do Iguaçu

$114 12.8%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 75.8% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Foz do Iguaçu

$112 12.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 22.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Foz do Iguaçu

$68 7.7%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 63.1% $43

Getting Around

Foz do Iguaçu

$66 7.4%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 21.8% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Foz do Iguaçu

$37 4.2%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 94.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Foz do Iguaçu versus $979 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.

Salaries run about 93% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Foz do Iguaçu versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $258 – making Foz do Iguaçu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Foz do Iguaçu

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

07:52 7:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

2 h behind Foz do Iguaçu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

285,415

149,923

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Foz do Iguaçu Playa del Carmen 6,220 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Foz do Iguaçu
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

Foz do Iguaçu vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $893 in Foz do Iguaçu, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,340 per month in Foz do Iguaçu and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Foz do Iguaçu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Foz do Iguaçu and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Foz do Iguaçu, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Foz do Iguaçu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $893 in Foz do Iguaçu to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Foz do Iguaçu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.