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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $682 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,063 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,445 in Ariana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Ariana 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.72 TND 13.69

145.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$17.15 TND 49.75

174.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.69 TND 13.62

153.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.11 TND 3.21

258.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.62 TND 1.80

130.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.29 TND 0.83

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.67 TND 4.83

91.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.40 TND 4.05

385.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.51 TND 1.49

229.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.24 TND 0.70

816.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.67 TND 4.85

2.40%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.59 TND 4.61

72.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.32 TND 21.23

30.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.10 TND 17.70

47.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.50 TND 33.36

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.71 TND 4.96

69.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.72 TND 7.89

-44.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.16 TND 3.36

85.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.83 TND 2.41

172.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.86 TND 2.50

130.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.68 TND 1.97

192.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.50 TND 1.45

146.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.33 TND 0.97

263.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.52 TND 10.22

29.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.83 TND 19.80

51.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.31 TND 3.81

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.63 TND 4.74

76.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.35 TND 1.03

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.14 TND 29.40

184.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.30 TND 0.86

1696.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.33 TND 0.96

1030.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.80 TND 5.21

220.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.90 TND 2.61

71.11%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.9K TND 107.0K

-38.85%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.8K TND 98.0K

-22.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$68.7 TND 199

33.01%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.42 TND 27.33

167.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$21.22 TND 61.6

47.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.93 TND 92.6

110.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.02 TND 49.36

71.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.51 TND 13.07

7.76%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$113 TND 328

97.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,353 TND 9,726

26.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$39.44 TND 114

19.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$59.9 TND 174

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$94.6 TND 274

-15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$68.1 TND 198

36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$245 TND 711

333.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$163 TND 473

139.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$451 TND 1,308

376.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$294 TND 853

332.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,127 TND 3,269

255.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$747 TND 2,166

770.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$348 TND 1,010

117.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.28

11.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ariana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 in Ariana. 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 118% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $175 – making Ariana 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $682 in Ariana – roughly 86% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Ariana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ariana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Ariana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ariana, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Ariana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $682 in Ariana to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ariana. 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.