😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Oristano versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Oristano versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,639 in Oristano versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Oristano is roughly 31% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Oristano is 23% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.49€20.20
$11.71MX$198
100.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.2€77.5
$46.59MX$788
93.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.95€5.11
$11.65MX$197
-48.93%
Cappuccino
$1.75€1.51
$4.09MX$69.2
-57.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33€2.86
$1.37MX$23.23
143.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19€1.02
$0.83MX$14.09
43.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.98€5.14
$3.35MX$56.7
78.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59€3.08
$6.91MX$117
-48.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.53€1.32
$1.73MX$29.20
-11.56%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64€2.27
$2.26MX$38.21
16.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.88€2.47
$1.77MX$29.91
62.71%
Eggs
$3.54€3.04
$2.73MX$46.19
29.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.96€12.00
$9.18MX$155
52.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.30€10.57
$8.92MX$151
37.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.77€18.72
$12.60MX$213
72.78%
Apples(1kg)
$1.69€1.46
$3.02MX$51.1
-44.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47€1.26
$1.57MX$26.55
-6.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39€2.06
$2.13MX$35.93
12.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.61€3.10
$2.26MX$38.28
59.73%
Potato(1kg)
$2.01€1.73
$2.00MX$33.88
0.50%
Onion(1kg)
$2.31€1.99
$2.06MX$34.90
12.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.50€1.29
$1.18MX$19.94
27.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69€0.60
$1.20MX$20.35
-42.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.11€6.12
$4.63MX$78.4
53.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.12€6.98
$10.69MX$181
-24.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76€1.51
$1.62MX$27.38
8.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82€1.56
$2.88MX$48.70
-36.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76€1.51
$0.57MX$9.69
208.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.43€38.19
$29.83MX$504
48.94%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$9.77€8.40
$5.45MX$92.1
79.27%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58€1.36
$3.70MX$62.6
-57.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.95€28.33
$5.98MX$101
451.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.84
$1.55MX$26.26
38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.7K€32.4K
$22.3KMX$377.4K
68.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K€31.8K
$25.9KMX$438.7K
42.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$163€140
$89.1MX$1,507
82.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.02€7.75
$25.04MX$423
-63.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.64€23.76
$31.50MX$532
-12.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.7€49.61
$67.8MX$1,146
-14.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.24€21.70
$28.92MX$489
-12.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.03€7.76
$5.05MX$85.4
78.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$532€457
$225MX$3,803
136.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,419€7,237
$4,222MX$71.4K
99.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0€85.1
$47.44MX$802
108.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.76€41.92
$44.98MX$760
8.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.5€85.6
$82.0MX$1,386
21.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125€107
$92.1MX$1,557
35.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$768€660
$1,069MX$18.1K
-28.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$574€493
$405MX$6,852
41.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,224€1,052
$1,935MX$32.7K
-36.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$937€806
$1,301MX$22.0K
-27.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,018€2,594
$3,995MX$67.5K
-24.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,935€1,664
$6,626MX$112.0K
-70.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oristano
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,988€1,709
$749MX$12.7K
165.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.27
11.45
-71.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oristano: August 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Oristano and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Oristano pays 166% 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: $90.0 in Oristano vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $335 vs $277 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
Oristano vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Oristano or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Oristano. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Oristano or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 166% higher in Oristano, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Oristano compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Oristano versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Oristano and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $532 in Oristano versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Oristano or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Oristano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Oristano or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,692 in Oristano, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oristano. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Oristano or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Oristano compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Oristano 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Oristano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.