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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,925 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,687 in Arima, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Arima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arima are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Arima 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.03 TTD 60.7

32.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$72.7 TTD 489

-42.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.50 TTD 50.5

43.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.39 TTD 16.09

46.44%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.94 TTD 6.34

54.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.75 TTD 5.06

17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.59 TTD 10.67

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.04 TTD 20.46

48.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.27 TTD 15.27

-37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.37 TTD 15.92

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.27 TTD 15.25

-30.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.30 TTD 28.92

-41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.25 TTD 42.03

32.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.83 TTD 39.19

44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.33 TTD 29.11

146.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.66 TTD 38.10

-53.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.07 TTD 13.91

-30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.37 TTD 29.38

-55.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.37 TTD 29.41

-52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.00 TTD 6.72

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.84 TTD 5.64

158.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.46 TTD 9.81

-29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.14 TTD 7.70

-6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.29 TTD 28.86

-4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.35 TTD 130

-47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.89 TTD 12.72

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.81 TTD 18.91

-9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.79 TTD 5.30

-35.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.92 TTD 6.18

251.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.72 TTD 4.88

234.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$14.64 TTD 98.5

-77.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.94 TTD 6.31

40.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.3K TTD 183.3K

8.97%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.7K TTD 186.0K

-14.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$81.5 TTD 548

0.63%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$43.65 TTD 294

-47.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$62.7 TTD 422

-51.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$47.80 TTD 321

8.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.19 TTD 34.91

-4.05%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$131 TTD 879

51.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,074 TTD 47.6K

-24.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$51.2 TTD 344

-30.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$27.01 TTD 182

49.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$127 TTD 857

-38.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.0 TTD 504

18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$485 TTD 3,260

95.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$355 TTD 2,384

33.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$843 TTD 5,668

95.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$707 TTD 4,753

71.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,206 TTD 8,109

-45.77%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $485 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 84% 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 $292 – 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 8% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,745 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $131 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 $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,163 versus $1,256 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.