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 $653 per month in Maracay vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in Maracay vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,643 per month in Maracay vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maracay is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maracay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maracay 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 VES 6,554

$11.73 MX$203

0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 VES 31.2K

$41.62 MX$720

34.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 VES 4,018

$10.64 MX$184

-32.24%

Cappuccino

$1.35 VES 754

$3.52 MX$60.9

-61.65%

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

$1.22 VES 682

$1.51 MX$26.12

-19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 VES 539

$0.97 MX$16.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$2.95 MX$51.0

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 VES 1,084

$4.45 MX$77.0

-56.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 VES 1,000

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 VES 1,485

$1.89 MX$32.72

41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 573

$1.64 MX$28.32

-37.20%

Eggs

$2.19 VES 1,222

$2.51 MX$43.34

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 VES 3,717

$8.34 MX$144

-20.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 VES 3,140

$8.34 MX$144

-32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 VES 4,086

$10.73 MX$186

-31.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 VES 2,241

$2.60 MX$45.04

54.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 VES 1,045

$1.46 MX$25.20

28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 VES 1,262

$1.90 MX$32.87

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 VES 1,149

$2.08 MX$35.91

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 VES 1,457

$1.78 MX$30.71

47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,144

$2.19 MX$37.80

-6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 VES 755

$1.04 MX$17.99

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 VES 1,043

$1.08 MX$18.62

73.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 VES 1,361

$4.08 MX$70.6

-40.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 VES 5,648

$10.32 MX$178

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 VES 625

$1.71 MX$29.61

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 VES 993

$2.58 MX$44.54

-31.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 VES 160

$0.51 MX$8.81

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 VES 1,642

$3.26 MX$56.4

-9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 VES 1,528

$2.49 MX$43.09

10.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.90 VES 5,517

$3.25 MX$56.2

204.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 273

$1.31 MX$22.61

-62.60%

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

$24.6K VES 13.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.84%

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

$40.2K VES 22.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

71.47%

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

$10.09 VES 5,621

$82.9 MX$1,433

-87.82%

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

$12.84 VES 7,156

$22.22 MX$384

-42.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.35 VES 21.9K

$29.34 MX$507

34.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 VES 29.3K

$51.6 MX$893

1.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 VES 1,988

$5.07 MX$87.6

-29.59%

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

$130 VES 72.4K

$201 MX$3,473

-35.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,571 VES 3.1M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

6.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.75 VES 13.8K

$36.92 MX$639

-32.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 VES 16.7K

$39.79 MX$688

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 VES 44.1K

$78.5 MX$1,357

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 VES 55.6K

$87.1 MX$1,506

14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$455 VES 253.8K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-88.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$199 VES 110.7K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-96.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 99.6K

$664 MX$11.5K

-73.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

11.42

86.78%

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

Last update for Maracay: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 272% 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 $56.0 in Maracay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $248 in Maracay vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Maracay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 99% 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 $980 per month in Maracay and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $653 in Maracay and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Maracay and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $653 versus $1,297 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.