Cost of Living Comparison Between Petite Riviere and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Petite Riviere and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,055 per month in Petite Riviere vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,721 per month in Petite Riviere vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,387 per month in Petite Riviere vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Petite Riviere is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Petite Riviere and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Petite Riviere 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.61 MUR 313
$11.73 MX$204
-43.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MUR 2,093
$41.78 MX$725
5.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 MUR 335
$10.41 MX$181
-31.99%
Cappuccino
$2.64 MUR 125
$3.61 MX$62.6
-26.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MUR 45.09
$1.46 MX$25.28
-34.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 MUR 26.48
$0.97 MX$16.84
-42.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.17 MUR 102
$2.92 MX$50.8
-25.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 MUR 156
$4.62 MX$80.2
-28.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 MUR 76.4
$1.43 MX$24.80
12.59%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 MUR 31.04
$1.90 MX$32.98
-65.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 MUR 62.5
$1.57 MX$27.18
-15.92%
Eggs
$2.31 MUR 109
$2.64 MX$45.73
-12.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.78 MUR 558
$8.44 MX$146
39.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.21 MUR 294
$8.58 MX$149
-27.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.49 MUR 591
$11.00 MX$191
13.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 MUR 95.1
$2.70 MX$46.91
-25.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 MUR 91.2
$1.51 MX$26.15
27.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 MUR 69.0
$1.91 MX$33.22
-23.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.63 MUR 125
$2.17 MX$37.69
21.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 MUR 48.57
$1.87 MX$32.53
-44.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 MUR 47.61
$2.23 MX$38.76
-54.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 MUR 40.33
$1.08 MX$18.76
-21.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 MUR 37.58
$1.07 MX$18.63
-26.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.77 MUR 320
$4.16 MX$72.2
62.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.44 MUR 400
$10.29 MX$179
-17.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 MUR 82.6
$1.68 MX$29.20
4.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 MUR 103
$2.53 MX$43.96
-14.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.00 MUR 47.49
$0.55 MX$9.61
81.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.29 MX$456
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.41 MUR 209
$3.20 MX$55.5
37.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.69 MUR 127
$2.46 MX$42.73
9.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.10 MUR 952
$3.20 MX$55.5
528.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MUR 69.1
$1.32 MX$22.91
10.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K MUR 1.7M
$30.2K MX$523.3K
17.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K MUR 1.3M
$23.4K MX$406.0K
21.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.0 MUR 2,368
$81.4 MX$1,412
-38.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.62 MUR 882
$22.41 MX$389
-16.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.54 MUR 1,588
$29.97 MX$520
11.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.93 MUR 1,843
$51.6 MX$895
-24.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.39 MX$319
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.90 MUR 279
$5.16 MX$89.6
14.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$157 MUR 7,424
$202 MX$3,501
-22.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,922 MUR 185.7K
$5,311 MX$92.2K
-26.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.8 MUR 4,063
$35.61 MX$618
141.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.2 MUR 3,704
$40.37 MX$701
93.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 MUR 6,243
$78.6 MX$1,365
67.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 MUR 4,463
$86.9 MX$1,507
8.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$504 MUR 23.9K
$950 MX$16.5K
-46.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$353 MUR 16.7K
$478 MX$8,298
-26.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$934 MUR 44.2K
$1,621 MX$28.1K
-42.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MUR 33.6K
$1,223 MX$21.2K
-41.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,009 MX$69.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,473 MX$112.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Petite Riviere
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$673 MX$11.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
11.42
-41.59%

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

Last update for Petite Riviere: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $504 in Petite Riviere versus $950 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Petite Riviere versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Petite Riviere vs $254 in Playa del Carmen – so Petite Riviere wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Petite Riviere vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Petite Riviere or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Petite Riviere, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Petite Riviere and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,583 per month in Petite Riviere and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Petite Riviere or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Petite Riviere, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Petite Riviere compared to Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,055 in Petite Riviere and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How do childcare costs compare in Petite Riviere and in Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $157 per month in Petite Riviere and $202 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Petite Riviere or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petite Riviere, where all-in costs run around $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Petite Riviere it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Petite Riviere or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petite Riviere costs $1,055 versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Petite Riviere compared to Playa del Carmen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Petite Riviere or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Petite Riviere. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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