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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,658 per month in Ostia vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,561 per month in Ostia vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,465 per month in Ostia vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ostia costs about 28% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ostia sits 24% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.63 €15.17

$11.73 MX$203

50.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 €64.7

$41.62 MX$719

80.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 €9.90

$10.64 MX$184

8.08%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.80

$3.52 MX$60.8

-40.34%

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

$2.33 €2.01

$1.51 MX$26.09

54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$0.97 MX$16.82

10.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.76 €4.10

$2.95 MX$51.0

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.09

$4.45 MX$77.0

6.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.38 MX$23.90

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.89 MX$32.69

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$1.64 MX$28.29

74.39%

Eggs

$4.37 €3.76

$2.51 MX$43.30

74.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 €12.70

$8.34 MX$144

76.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 €8.80

$8.34 MX$144

22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 €13.79

$10.73 MX$185

49.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.60 MX$45.00

-6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.89

$1.46 MX$25.18

50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.90 MX$32.84

4.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.08 MX$35.88

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.78 MX$30.68

-3.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.19 MX$37.76

-11.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.04 MX$17.97

22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 €0.47

$1.08 MX$18.60

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.11

$4.08 MX$70.5

74.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.11

$10.32 MX$178

-53.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.71 MX$29.59

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.58 MX$44.50

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.51 MX$8.81

249.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.78 €36.83

$26.46 MX$457

61.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 €4.50

$3.26 MX$56.4

60.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.31

$2.49 MX$43.05

-38.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.44 €29.65

$3.25 MX$56.1

959.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.31 MX$22.59

47.33%

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

$28.6K €24.6K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-5.59%

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

$29.2K €25.2K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

24.80%

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

$222 €191

$82.9 MX$1,432

167.35%

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

$10.77 €9.27

$22.22 MX$384

-51.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.75 €29.05

$29.34 MX$507

15.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.4 €54.6

$51.6 MX$892

22.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.11 €19.90

$18.32 MX$317

26.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.80

$5.07 MX$87.5

124.46%

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

$386 €332

$201 MX$3,470

92.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,340 €8,041

$5,212 MX$90.1K

79.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 €63.4

$36.92 MX$638

99.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 €30.08

$39.79 MX$688

-12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 €75.5

$78.5 MX$1,356

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$87.1 MX$1,505

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 €649

$973 MX$16.8K

-22.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 €500

$468 MX$8,082

24.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,047

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 €791

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-24.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,227 €2,779

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-18.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,154 €1,854

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-66.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,120 €1,825

$664 MX$11.5K

219.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.95

11.42

-65.41%

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

Last update for Ostia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Ostia versus $973 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 219% higher in Ostia, 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 $75.0 in Ostia versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Ostia is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,487 per month in Ostia and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $386 per month in Ostia and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Ostia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Ostia at $1,658. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ostia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.