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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,989 in Oranjestad versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,152 in Oranjestad versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,315 in Oranjestad versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oranjestad is roughly 55% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oranjestad is 49% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.34 AWG 34.62

$11.94 MX$208

61.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 AWG 146

$42.75 MX$744

90.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 AWG 18.50

$10.59 MX$184

-2.36%

Cappuccino

$3.63 AWG 6.49

$3.62 MX$63.0

0.28%

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

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 AWG 2.84

$0.94 MX$16.41

69.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 AWG 5.40

$3.09 MX$53.8

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 AWG 7.18

$4.46 MX$77.6

-10.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 AWG 3.35

$1.43 MX$24.80

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$1.88 MX$32.79

58.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 AWG 5.06

$1.63 MX$28.34

73.62%

Eggs

$5.22 AWG 9.35

$2.64 MX$45.99

97.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.70 AWG 22.73

$8.21 MX$143

54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 AWG 16.93

$8.29 MX$144

14.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 AWG 21.53

$11.10 MX$193

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 AWG 8.50

$2.65 MX$46.14

79.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 AWG 4.13

$1.50 MX$26.11

54.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 AWG 9.22

$1.99 MX$34.59

158.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 AWG 6.21

$2.08 MX$36.13

66.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 AWG 4.00

$1.79 MX$31.11

25.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 AWG 3.47

$2.18 MX$37.87

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 AWG 4.62

$1.08 MX$18.73

138.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 AWG 2.75

$1.04 MX$18.04

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 AWG 17.98

$3.97 MX$69.1

153.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 AWG 18.30

$10.20 MX$178

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 AWG 6.92

$1.73 MX$30.04

123.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 AWG 7.69

$2.50 MX$43.46

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 AWG 3.98

$0.52 MX$9.02

326.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.45 AWG 54.5

$26.97 MX$469

12.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.12 AWG 30.64

$3.14 MX$54.7

445.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.00 AWG 7.16

$2.40 MX$41.80

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 AWG 44.13

$3.09 MX$53.7

697.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 AWG 2.63

$1.27 MX$22.16

15.75%

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

$26.5K AWG 47.5K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-14.06%

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

$35.0K AWG 62.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

49.94%

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

$257 AWG 460

$82.0 MX$1,427

213.02%

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

$49.05 AWG 87.8

$22.45 MX$391

118.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 AWG 187

$29.66 MX$516

252.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 AWG 192

$51.9 MX$903

106.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 AWG 45.79

$18.67 MX$325

37.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 AWG 21.67

$4.97 MX$86.5

143.66%

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

$246 AWG 440

$198 MX$3,442

24.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,715 AWG 15.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

65.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 AWG 105

$36.34 MX$632

62.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 AWG 89.5

$40.05 MX$697

24.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 AWG 193

$79.9 MX$1,390

35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 AWG 184

$88.9 MX$1,547

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 AWG 1,220

$963 MX$16.8K

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 AWG 1,021

$465 MX$8,086

22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 AWG 2,636

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-7.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 AWG 2,428

$1,209 MX$21.0K

12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 AWG 4,059

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-42.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 AWG 3,092

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-73.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,692 AWG 3,029

$720 MX$12.5K

134.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Oranjestad: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Oranjestad and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oranjestad pays 135% 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: $82.0 in Oranjestad vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $251 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

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

Oranjestad and Playa del Carmen differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,989 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Oranjestad pays 135% more on average, 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: $682 in Oranjestad versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 13% less than in Oranjestad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $246 in Oranjestad versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Oranjestad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oranjestad. 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, Oranjestad 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 55% less than in Oranjestad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.