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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,286 in Arima, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,144 in Arima, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,002 in Arima, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Arima, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$10.24 TTD 68.1

14.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$74.3 TTD 495

-37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.63 TTD 57.5

34.99%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.77 TTD 25.08

8.49%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.03 TTD 6.88

33.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.73 TTD 4.83

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.85 TTD 12.31

81.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.88 TTD 19.19

139.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.39 TTD 15.92

-27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.38 TTD 15.83

-5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.92 TTD 19.41

-39.38%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.30 TTD 28.59

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.65 TTD 44.22

38.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.66 TTD 44.34

33.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.91 TTD 59.3

41.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.66 TTD 37.65

-46.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.30 TTD 15.28

-31.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.70 TTD 24.62

-42.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.84 TTD 32.20

-53.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.33 TTD 8.86

50.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.93 TTD 6.16

121.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.41 TTD 9.38

-16.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.97 TTD 6.47

23.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.84 TTD 32.18

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$18.99 TTD 126

-43.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$1.91 TTD 12.73

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.94 TTD 19.54

-2.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.01 TTD 6.70

-43.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.71 TTD 4.72

667.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.75 TTD 5.02

393.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$14.55 TTD 96.8

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.13 TTD 7.50

37.17%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$27.2K TTD 181.3K

-18.06%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$35.8K TTD 238.3K

-27.53%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$89.5 TTD 595

-0.37%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$45.03 TTD 300

-44.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$57.1 TTD 380

-44.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$52.4 TTD 348

29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$8.93 TTD 59.4

-43.45%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$176 TTD 1,169

27.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$10.6K TTD 70.2K

-60.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$61.9 TTD 412

-23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$44.37 TTD 295

1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$148 TTD 982

-44.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$72.3 TTD 481

27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$507 TTD 3,376

110.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$362 TTD 2,412

11.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,029 TTD 6,850

88.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$869 TTD 5,783

49.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,217 TTD 8,100

-38.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.75

99.13%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arima: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $507 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 63% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 in Arima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $314 – 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 1% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,929 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,286 in Arima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $176 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 $1,286, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,286 versus $1,293 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.