Cost of Living Comparison Between Orange, NSW and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Orange, NSW and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,804 in Orange, NSW versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,023 in Orange, NSW versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,241 in Orange, NSW versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Orange, NSW is roughly 43% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Orange, NSW is 32% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 A$20.94

$11.60 MX$200

28.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 A$110

$47.11 MX$812

66.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 A$15.12

$11.88 MX$205

-9.76%

Cappuccino

$3.51 A$4.95

$3.98 MX$68.6

-11.81%

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

$3.29 A$4.64

$1.43 MX$24.60

130.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.16

$0.82 MX$14.22

173.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 A$9.79

$3.19 MX$55.0

117.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 A$9.83

$6.79 MX$117

2.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.65

$1.68 MX$28.89

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 A$4.26

$2.20 MX$37.88

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 A$3.09

$1.71 MX$29.45

28.07%

Eggs

$4.09 A$5.76

$2.74 MX$47.26

49.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 A$12.05

$9.58 MX$165

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 A$12.41

$9.01 MX$155

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 A$20.12

$12.81 MX$221

11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.38

$2.89 MX$49.81

7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 A$3.55

$1.50 MX$25.81

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.84

$2.15 MX$37.03

59.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 A$5.67

$2.26 MX$38.96

77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 A$2.54

$1.98 MX$34.15

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.70

$1.99 MX$34.30

31.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 A$2.89

$1.23 MX$21.28

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 A$2.65

$1.20 MX$20.63

56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$35.46 A$50.0

$4.55 MX$78.5

679.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 A$15.82

$10.37 MX$179

8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 A$4.06

$1.62 MX$27.91

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 A$6.93

$2.88 MX$49.67

70.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 A$4.34

$0.60 MX$10.35

411.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.6 A$121

$28.80 MX$497

197.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 A$3.52

$5.39 MX$92.9

-53.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.25

$3.73 MX$64.3

-57.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.01 A$62.1

$5.77 MX$99.5

662.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 A$1.88

$1.54 MX$26.48

-13.64%

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

$30.2K A$42.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

33.98%

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

$42.4K A$59.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

62.71%

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

$167 A$235

$91.4 MX$1,576

82.23%

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

$18.01 A$25.40

$25.20 MX$435

-28.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$73.0

$31.24 MX$539

65.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 A$78.8

$67.2 MX$1,159

-16.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.64 A$26.29

$29.11 MX$502

-35.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 A$19.45

$4.86 MX$83.8

183.74%

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

$2,199 A$3,102

$224 MX$3,856

883.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K A$28.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

371.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 A$78.6

$47.10 MX$812

18.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 A$88.0

$44.29 MX$764

40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 A$206

$80.1 MX$1,381

82.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 A$156

$92.7 MX$1,598

19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 A$1,192

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 A$863

$390 MX$6,728

56.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 A$2,046

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-32.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 A$2,125

$1,272 MX$21.9K

18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,495 A$9,160

$4,001 MX$69.0K

62.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,528 A$6,386

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-30.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,942 A$6,970

$758 MX$13.1K

551.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.23

11.45

-54.32%

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

Last update for Orange, NSW: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $845 in Orange, NSW and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Orange, NSW pays 552% 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: $78.0 in Orange, NSW vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Orange, NSW vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Orange, NSW and Playa del Carmen differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,804 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 552% higher in Orange, NSW, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $845 in Orange, NSW versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,199 in Orange, NSW versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Orange, NSW. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,804 in Orange, NSW, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Orange, NSW. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Orange, NSW and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Orange, NSW. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.