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

😐 Solo nomad: Papeete is 19.6% more expensive than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 85.1% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Papeete is 111.1% more expensive than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 51.5% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.27 CFPF 1,769
$11.99 MX$227
44.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.5 CFPF 8,553
$42.47 MX$803
96.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 CFPF 1,221
$10.47 MX$198
13.85%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CFPF 403
$3.6 MX$68.2
9.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 CFPF 347
$1.44 MX$27.16
134.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 CFPF 279
$0.89 MX$16.79
205.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.94 CFPF 301
$3.09 MX$58.5
-4.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 CFPF 402
$4.58 MX$86.6
-14.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 CFPF 162
$1.38 MX$26.04
14.49%
White Bread (500g)
$0.8 CFPF 81.7
$1.85 MX$34.9
-56.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 CFPF 174
$1.57 MX$29.68
7.64%
Eggs
$6.46 CFPF 662
$2.55 MX$48.3
153.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.49 CFPF 2,612
$8.61 MX$163
196.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.76 CFPF 1,717
$8.54 MX$161
96.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.98 CFPF 2,764
$10.98 MX$208
145.72%
Apples (1kg)
$5.27 CFPF 540
$2.72 MX$51.4
93.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 CFPF 230
$1.51 MX$28.57
49.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.89 CFPF 604
$1.88 MX$35.63
213.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.91 CFPF 810
$2.19 MX$41.42
261.19%
Potato (1kg)
$3.06 CFPF 314
$1.87 MX$35.3
63.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 CFPF 271
$2.19 MX$41.37
21.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.86 CFPF 395
$1.07 MX$20.23
260.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 CFPF 118
$1.09 MX$20.64
5.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.25 CFPF 1,255
$3.96 MX$74.9
209.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.04 CFPF 2,463
$8.86 MX$167
171.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 CFPF 208
$1.72 MX$32.53
18.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 CFPF 315
$2.61 MX$49.37
18.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 CFPF 201
$0.52 MX$9.74
276.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.59 MX$503
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.88 CFPF 1,013
$3.24 MX$61.2
204.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.38 MX$44.94
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.11 MX$58.7
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.61 CFPF 165
$1.31 MX$24.85
22.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K CFPF 2M
$30.3K MX$573K
-34.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.8K CFPF 3M
$24K MX$453.6K
20.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 CFPF 18.8K
$84.2 MX$1,592
117.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.14 CFPF 1,756
$22.14 MX$419
-22.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63 CFPF 6,451
$30.14 MX$570
108.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.8 CFPF 7,864
$52 MX$983
47.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.72 MX$354
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.48 CFPF 1,483
$5.07 MX$95.9
185.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$487 CFPF 49.9K
$200 MX$3,787
143.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,876 CFPF 1M
$5,333 MX$100.8K
85.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.6 CFPF 7,952
$35.74 MX$676
117.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$81.8 CFPF 8,376
$39.8 MX$753
105.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.9 CFPF 8,082
$79 MX$1,493
-0.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.7 CFPF 9,394
$88.4 MX$1,671
3.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 CFPF 124.3K
$965 MX$18.3K
25.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$955 CFPF 97.8K
$474 MX$8,968
101.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,934 CFPF 198.2K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
17.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,582 CFPF 162.1K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
31.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,534 CFPF 874.3K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
176.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,353 CFPF 650.9K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-15.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Papeete
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,412 CFPF 247.1K
$792 MX$15K
204.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
11.42
-47.46%

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

Last update for Papeete: October 29, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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