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 $1,690 per month in Ostia vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,587 per month in Ostia vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,485 per month in Ostia vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ostia costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ostia sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.64

$11.61 MX$201

48.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 €65.3

$42.75 MX$742

79.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 €9.83

$10.60 MX$184

9.06%

Cappuccino

$2.21 €1.88

$3.59 MX$62.3

-38.44%

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

$2.26 €1.93

$1.45 MX$25.21

55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 €0.92

$0.90 MX$15.58

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.84

$3.03 MX$52.6

48.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.84

$4.56 MX$79.2

-1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.45

$1.45 MX$25.20

17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.86

$1.83 MX$31.72

19.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.91 €2.48

$1.61 MX$27.92

80.75%

Eggs

$4.60 €3.91

$2.54 MX$44.05

81.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.99 €12.76

$8.54 MX$148

75.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 €8.80

$8.47 MX$147

22.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 €13.86

$10.86 MX$189

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 €2.09

$2.73 MX$47.37

-9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$1.49 MX$25.91

46.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 €1.67

$1.94 MX$33.73

1.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 €2.28

$2.16 MX$37.57

24.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.53

$1.85 MX$32.05

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.59

$2.19 MX$38.00

-14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.07

$1.07 MX$18.62

17.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.44

$1.08 MX$18.81

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.97 €5.93

$4.06 MX$70.5

71.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 €4.42

$10.46 MX$182

-50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.58

$1.65 MX$28.71

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 €2.27

$2.55 MX$44.23

4.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.46

$0.56 MX$9.65

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.87 €37.34

$26.20 MX$455

67.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 €4.56

$3.14 MX$54.5

70.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.36

$2.37 MX$41.17

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.41 €30.13

$3.24 MX$56.2

992.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 €1.65

$1.31 MX$22.81

48.09%

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

$29.0K €24.7K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-5.13%

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

$29.8K €25.4K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

25.20%

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

$224 €191

$83.1 MX$1,443

169.32%

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

$11.00 €9.36

$22.15 MX$385

-50.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.04 €28.12

$29.37 MX$510

12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 €54.3

$51.2 MX$889

24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.12 €19.67

$18.69 MX$324

23.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 €9.77

$4.89 MX$84.9

134.76%

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

$399 €339

$199 MX$3,449

100.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,092 €7,737

$5,207 MX$90.4K

74.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 €63.4

$35.93 MX$624

107.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 €29.25

$39.39 MX$684

-12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 €72.2

$80.3 MX$1,394

5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €102

$87.6 MX$1,520

36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 €636

$963 MX$16.7K

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 €495

$482 MX$8,370

20.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 €1,051

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 €790

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-22.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 €2,417

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-28.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,169 €1,846

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-66.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,157 €1,835

$726 MX$12.6K

196.95%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $748 in Ostia versus $963 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 197% 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 $77 in Ostia versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $253 – 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 34%, 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 $2,535 per month in Ostia and $1,894 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 $399 per month in Ostia and $199 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 21% 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 $1,262, than in Ostia at $1,690. 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.