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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $736 per month in Maracay vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,252 per month in Maracay vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,768 per month in Maracay vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maracay is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maracay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maracay 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.91 VES 4,081

$11.96 MX$203

-58.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.80 VES 27.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 VES 6,531

$11.75 MX$199

-33.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 VES 1,411

$4.12 MX$70.0

-58.74%

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

$1.23 VES 1,018

$1.40 MX$23.74

-12.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 VES 963

$0.91 MX$15.48

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 VES 1,011

$3.21 MX$54.4

-61.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 VES 2,562

$7.07 MX$120

-56.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 VES 2,203

$1.68 MX$28.44

57.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 VES 1,830

$2.15 MX$36.48

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 VES 820

$1.77 MX$30.10

-44.07%

Eggs

$2.74 VES 2,273

$2.82 MX$47.76

-2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 VES 5,589

$9.20 MX$156

-26.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 VES 4,782

$9.23 MX$157

-37.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 VES 7,040

$12.64 MX$214

-32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 VES 3,527

$2.95 MX$50.1

44.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 VES 1,624

$1.58 MX$26.79

24.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 VES 1,755

$2.22 MX$37.70

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 VES 1,866

$2.36 MX$40.09

-4.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 VES 1,908

$1.99 MX$33.81

15.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 VES 1,837

$1.98 MX$33.58

11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 VES 1,315

$1.24 MX$21.04

27.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 VES 1,899

$1.21 MX$20.55

89.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 VES 2,109

$4.60 MX$78.1

-44.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 VES 8,333

$10.52 MX$178

-4.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 VES 967

$1.69 MX$28.70

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 VES 1,477

$2.77 MX$47.06

-35.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 VES 402

$0.60 MX$10.22

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 VES 16.9K

$29.70 MX$504

-31.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 VES 2,478

$5.24 MX$88.8

-43.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 VES 2,224

$3.65 MX$61.9

-26.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 VES 8,400

$5.78 MX$98.1

74.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 VES 507

$1.54 MX$26.09

-60.39%

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

$25.5K VES 21.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

11.77%

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

$38.5K VES 32.0M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

49.18%

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

$12.66 VES 10.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-86.04%

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

$10.83 VES 8,993

$25.19 MX$427

-57.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.45 VES 30.3K

$31.75 MX$539

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.99 VES 24.9K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-56.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 VES 12.3K

$29.37 MX$498

-49.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 VES 3,361

$4.86 MX$82.5

-16.67%

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

$74.6 VES 61.9K

$226 MX$3,828

-66.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,048 VES 5.0M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

44.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 VES 43.5K

$47.38 MX$804

10.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.58 VES 30.4K

$43.45 MX$737

-15.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 VES 68.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 VES 78.0K

$91.4 MX$1,550

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 VES 186.5K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-79.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 VES 90.0K

$409 MX$6,933

-73.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 VES 461.2K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-71.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 VES 224.3K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-78.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$454 VES 376.7K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-88.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$200 VES 166.3K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-97.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 VES 173.4K

$773 MX$13.1K

-72.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.5

11.45

87.77%

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

Last update for Maracay: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $225 in Maracay versus $1,086 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 270% 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 $33.00 in Maracay versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $278 – making Maracay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,104 per month in Maracay and $1,958 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 Maracay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Maracay and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $736 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. 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.