Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goiana and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Goiana: $858 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Goiana
🇧🇷 Brazil
$858
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,215
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $858 in Goiana versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Goiana $858
  • Playa del Carmen $1,215

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,393 in Goiana versus $2,144 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Goiana $1,393
  • Playa del Carmen $2,144

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,928 in Goiana versus $3,072 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Goiana $1,928
  • Playa del Carmen $3,072

Living in Goiana costs roughly 29% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Goiana 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.46 R$27.25
$10.97 MX$201
-50.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.62 R$193
$44.85 MX$823
-13.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.82 R$49.04
$11.92 MX$219
-17.62%
Cappuccino
$2.60 R$12.97
$3.80 MX$69.9
-31.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 R$5.55
$1.31 MX$24.08
-15.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 R$3.00
$0.86 MX$15.72
-30.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.63 R$8.14
$3.21 MX$59.0
-49.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 R$16.41
$5.01 MX$92.0
-34.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 R$7.30
$1.46 MX$26.77
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 R$8.12
$2.33 MX$42.72
-30.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 R$8.35
$1.44 MX$26.48
15.97%
Eggs
$1.95 R$9.74
$2.46 MX$45.20
-20.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.36 R$36.73
$7.70 MX$141
-4.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.43 R$22.09
$7.89 MX$145
-43.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.83 R$34.10
$12.80 MX$235
-46.64%
Apples (1kg)
$1.41 R$7.05
$2.92 MX$53.6
-51.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.35 R$6.72
$1.42 MX$26.11
-4.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.76 R$3.81
$2.57 MX$47.10
-70.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.35
$2.14 MX$39.24
-40.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.44 R$7.18
$1.95 MX$35.75
-26.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 R$5.57
$1.94 MX$35.55
-42.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 R$2.41
$1.15 MX$21.13
-58.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 R$4.21
$1.22 MX$22.42
-31.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.84 R$9.16
$4.38 MX$80.3
-57.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.16 R$40.71
$9.85 MX$181
-17.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R$5.71
$1.54 MX$28.23
-25.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 R$7.62
$2.72 MX$49.86
-43.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 R$4.77
$0.52 MX$9.64
84.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.73 R$188
$27.42 MX$503
37.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.20 R$6.01
$4.91 MX$90.2
-75.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 R$3.74
$3.52 MX$64.7
-78.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.57 R$17.81
$5.69 MX$104
-37.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.05 R$5.24
$1.54 MX$28.27
-31.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K R$119.5K
$21.2K MX$389.9K
12.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.6K R$162.8K
$24.5K MX$449.6K
33.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.2 R$401
$83.6 MX$1,535
-4.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 R$66.7
$24.03 MX$441
-44.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.06 R$90.2
$29.33 MX$539
-38.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.99 R$130
$64.9 MX$1,191
-59.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.91 R$149
$29.46 MX$541
1.53%
Cinema Ticket
$8.71 R$43.48
$5.09 MX$93.4
71.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$236 R$1,178
$208 MX$3,813
13.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K R$59.5K
$4,045 MX$74.3K
194.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.31 R$226
$44.55 MX$818
1.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9 R$254
$42.06 MX$772
21.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.2 R$316
$75.5 MX$1,387
-16.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.6 R$407
$91.4 MX$1,678
-10.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$367 R$1,831
$986 MX$18.1K
-62.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 R$1,358
$385 MX$7,072
-29.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$609 R$3,040
$1,713 MX$31.5K
-64.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 R$2,296
$1,108 MX$20.4K
-58.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,843 R$9,202
$4,016 MX$73.7K
-54.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,189 R$5,937
$6,247 MX$114.7K
-80.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Goiana
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$580 R$2,897
$758 MX$13.9K
-23.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.75
11.45
2.62%

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

Last update for Goiana: October 4, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Goiana
$272
Playa del Carmen
$385 41.6% $113
Groceries & Markets
Goiana
$178
Playa del Carmen
$260 46% $82
Eating Out
Goiana
$126
Playa del Carmen
$204 62% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goiana
$112
Playa del Carmen
$137 22.7% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Goiana
$108
Playa del Carmen
$114 5.2% $5.6
Getting Around
Goiana
$47
Playa del Carmen
$52 11.9% $5.5
Sport & Entertainment
Goiana
$43
Playa del Carmen
$75 72.9% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $367 in Goiana and $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 31% 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: $39.00 in Goiana vs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $260 per month, with Goiana cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Goiana
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
05:53 5:53 AM
03:53 3:53 AM
2 h behind Goiana
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
81,055
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Goiana Playa del Carmen 6,500 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Goiana
  • 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
Goiana vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Goiana and in Playa del Carmen?
Goiana and Playa del Carmen differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($858 vs $1,215 including rent). Goiana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 31% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Goiana and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $367 in Goiana versus $986 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Goiana – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Goiana or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $858 per month in Goiana versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $858 in Goiana versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goiana but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Goiana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Goiana and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Goiana or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Goiana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Goiana vs other spots: cost of living compared

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