😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $653 in Alfenas, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,213 in Alfenas, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,773 in Alfenas, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 97% more than Alfenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Alfenas are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Alfenas51% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$3.66R$18.27
226.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$26.99R$135
58.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$5.51R$27.47
92.20%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$0.94R$4.69
285.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.56R$2.77
162.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.52R$2.61
80.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.14R$10.68
44.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.71R$13.53
64.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.06R$5.28
34.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.78R$8.90
5.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.30R$6.47
25.38%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.39R$11.93
10.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.13R$55.5
-26.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.20R$20.96
97.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$8.78R$43.82
26.42%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.74R$13.68
-3.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.85R$9.22
-18.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.63R$8.16
22.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.77R$8.82
17.51%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.43R$7.16
25.17%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.26R$6.27
73.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.94R$4.71
14.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.68R$3.37
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$1.75R$8.72
126.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$10.03R$50.1
1.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.37R$6.83
26.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.30R$11.46
8.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.89R$4.42
-41.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$38.54R$192
-30.02%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.10R$5.48
185.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.74R$3.71
224.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$9.00R$44.92
-65.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.07R$5.32
18.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$22.0KR$109.7K
40.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$27.0KR$134.5K
-13.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$53.4R$266
53.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$13.12R$65.5
71.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$18.30R$91.3
62.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$22.83R$114
127.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$22.00R$110
-15.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$6.20R$30.94
-19.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$498R$2,485
-60.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$15.2KR$75.7K
-65.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$51.1R$255
-28.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$41.83R$209
-4.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$79.9R$399
-0.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$71.8R$358
23.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$314R$1,568
206.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$88.4R$441
425.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$573R$2,862
178.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$427R$2,131
183.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$1,751R$8,737
125.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,143R$5,702
464.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Alfenas
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$494R$2,467
45.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.56
-1.21%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Alfenas: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Alfenas. 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 46% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Alfenas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $214 – making Alfenas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Alfenas: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Alfenas compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $653 in Alfenas – roughly 97% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Alfenas?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $980 in Alfenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Alfenas?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $27.00 in Alfenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Alfenas?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $653 in Alfenas to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Alfenas?
If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado