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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Onesti vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,690 per month in Onesti vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,265 per month in Onesti vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Onesti is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Onesti and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Onesti 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 RON 51.6

$11.60 MX$200

-2.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.42 RON 199

$47.11 MX$811

-7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 34.51

$11.88 MX$205

-36.62%

Cappuccino

$2.96 RON 13.56

$3.98 MX$68.5

-25.63%

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

$2.22 RON 10.18

$1.43 MX$24.57

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$0.82 MX$14.20

123.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 RON 15.45

$3.19 MX$54.9

5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RON 18.56

$6.79 MX$117

-40.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.68 MX$28.85

-34.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.28

$2.20 MX$37.83

-37.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.41

$1.71 MX$29.41

19.88%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.91

$2.74 MX$47.20

18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 RON 35.31

$9.58 MX$165

-19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 RON 29.74

$9.01 MX$155

-27.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 RON 46.59

$12.81 MX$221

-20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$2.89 MX$49.74

-62.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.16

$1.50 MX$25.78

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.30

$2.15 MX$36.98

-15.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 RON 10.12

$2.26 MX$38.91

-2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$1.98 MX$34.10

-52.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.45

$1.99 MX$34.26

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 RON 5.64

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RON 2.96

$1.20 MX$20.60

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 RON 30.92

$4.55 MX$78.3

48.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 RON 24.92

$10.37 MX$179

-47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.27

$1.62 MX$27.88

-15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RON 9.86

$2.88 MX$49.60

-25.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.60 MX$10.34

31.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.04 RON 106

$28.80 MX$496

-20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$5.39 MX$92.8

-84.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.23

$3.73 MX$64.2

-75.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 RON 39.56

$5.77 MX$99.3

49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.15

$1.54 MX$26.45

1.30%

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

$29.7K RON 136.1K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

31.75%

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

$29.3K RON 134.1K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

12.35%

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

$190 RON 868

$91.4 MX$1,573

107.43%

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

$7.78 RON 35.64

$25.20 MX$434

-69.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.08 RON 41.59

$31.24 MX$538

-70.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.46 RON 185

$67.2 MX$1,157

-39.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 RON 98.2

$29.11 MX$501

-26.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 RON 41.80

$4.86 MX$83.7

87.65%

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

$411 RON 1,882

$224 MX$3,851

83.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,467 RON 34.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

76.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.66 RON 182

$47.10 MX$811

-15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 RON 185

$44.29 MX$763

-9.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 RON 444

$80.1 MX$1,379

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 RON 433

$92.7 MX$1,596

2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 RON 1,845

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-62.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 RON 1,368

$390 MX$6,719

-23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 RON 2,857

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-70.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 RON 2,185

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-62.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 RON 8,767

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-52.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 RON 6,413

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 RON 3,039

$758 MX$13.1K

-12.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

11.45

-37.29%

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

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Onesti versus $1,063 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 14% 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 $43.00 in Onesti versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $276 – making Onesti 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Onesti, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,672 per month in Onesti and $1,899 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 Onesti, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Onesti and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,115 in Onesti and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onesti, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Onesti 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. Onesti costs $1,115 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Onesti. 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.