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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $701 in Ariana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,099 in Ariana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,496 in Ariana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Ariana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ariana 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.12 TND 11.91

189.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$17.09 TND 49.39

150.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.03 TND 14.55

110.54%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.76 TND 2.19

376.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.64 TND 1.84

129.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.25 TND 0.72

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.56 TND 4.51

98.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.93 TND 5.57

131.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.51 TND 1.46

180.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.17 TND 0.50

1005.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.56 TND 4.50

4.49%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.50 TND 4.33

76.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.55 TND 30.49

-22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.16 TND 17.79

34.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.67 TND 39.49

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.07 TND 5.99

28.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.96 TND 8.54

-49.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.14 TND 3.29

74.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.70 TND 2.01

197.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.81 TND 2.34

120.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.67 TND 1.95

225.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.49 TND 1.40

120.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.31 TND 0.91

235.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.51 TND 10.13

13.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.87 TND 22.73

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.28 TND 3.71

35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.56 TND 4.51

60.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.35 TND 1.01

48.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.27 TND 29.69

162.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.32 TND 0.93

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.31 TND 0.89

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.31 TND 12.45

-28.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.84 TND 2.41

51.19%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.8K TND 109.2K

-18.25%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$35.2K TND 101.7K

-33.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$58.9 TND 170

39.17%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.72 TND 28.09

130.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$21.45 TND 62.0

38.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$32.27 TND 93.3

60.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$17.17 TND 49.63

8.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.48 TND 12.95

10.94%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$109 TND 316

81.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,252 TND 9,398

62.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$45.12 TND 130

-19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$59.1 TND 171

-32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$96.4 TND 279

-17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$67.6 TND 195

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$247 TND 713

290.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$162 TND 468

187.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$442 TND 1,276

261.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$295 TND 852

309.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,132 TND 3,272

248.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$748 TND 2,162

761.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$337 TND 973

114.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.15

-13.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ariana: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 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 114% 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 $17.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $193 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $701 in Ariana – roughly 83% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,052 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 30% 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 $43.00 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 $701, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $701 in Ariana to $1,287 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.