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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,919 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,653 in Arima, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Arima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Arima 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.96 TTD 60.0

30.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$72.5 TTD 486

-42.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.32 TTD 49.03

45.36%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.42 TTD 16.24

45.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.96 TTD 6.46

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.71 TTD 4.73

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.64 TTD 10.99

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.89 TTD 19.38

53.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.32 TTD 15.55

-40.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.26 TTD 15.17

-16.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.25 TTD 15.09

-27.11%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.24 TTD 28.37

-40.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.91 TTD 39.58

41.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.82 TTD 38.97

43.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.41 TTD 29.54

143.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.97 TTD 40.00

-56.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.03 TTD 13.63

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.26 TTD 28.53

-55.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.45 TTD 29.78

-53.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.04 TTD 6.97

71.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.79 TTD 5.27

177.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.51 TTD 10.09

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.20 TTD 8.06

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.32 TTD 28.97

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.50 TTD 124

-44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.96 TTD 13.14

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.72 TTD 18.21

-5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.80 TTD 5.34

-36.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.98 TTD 6.58

232.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.71 TTD 4.76

250.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.94 TTD 100

-78.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.93 TTD 6.20

40.86%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

12.86%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

-15.19%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$81.4 TTD 545

1.79%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$44.96 TTD 301

-50.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$61.4 TTD 411

-52.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$48.83 TTD 327

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.11 TTD 34.23

-0.78%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$133 TTD 888

51.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

-28.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$52.4 TTD 351

-29.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.74 TTD 179

48.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$127 TTD 848

-38.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$75.2 TTD 504

15.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$475 TTD 3,183

104.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$355 TTD 2,376

31.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$856 TTD 5,736

91.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$721 TTD 4,828

69.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,183 TTD 7,926

-43.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

280.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arima: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Arima. 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 78% higher in Arima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $291 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Arima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,777 in Arima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,184 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $133 in Arima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arima costs $1,184 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Arima. 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.