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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Arklow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,136 in Arklow, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,969 in Arklow, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Arklow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arklow are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Arklow 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$21.83 €19.03

-46.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$91.0 €79.3

-48.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.35 €9.90

4.67%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.17 €3.63

-4.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.00 €2.62

-52.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.34 €2.04

-64.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.61 €4.89

-43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.57 €4.86

21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.77 €1.54

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.41 €2.10

-8.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.89 €1.65

-9.52%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.64 €4.05

-40.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$14.61 €12.74

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.66 €11.91

-34.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$17.34 €15.11

-26.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.27 €2.85

-11.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$3.06 €2.66

-50.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.44 €3.00

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$5.06 €4.41

-55.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.44 €2.12

-18.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.89 €1.64

5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.44 €1.26

-14.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.19 €1.91

-45.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$20.39 €17.78

-77.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.88 €12.10

-25.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$4.19 €3.65

-61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.72 €3.24

-22.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.40 €4.71

-0.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.53 €1.33

143.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$33.46 €29.17

-82.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$2.15 €1.87

-28.37%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$40.3K €35.1K

-43.99%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$38.5K €33.6K

-32.37%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$249 €217

-63.36%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$22.56 €19.67

11.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$56.9 €49.63

-45.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$45.90 €40.01

46.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$13.79 €12.02

-64.76%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,102 €960

-79.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,455 €4,755

-22.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$96.9 €84.5

-51.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$44.90 €39.14

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$107 €93.4

-25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$122 €106

-23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,939 €4,306

-84.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.14

176.57%

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 Arklow: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 551% higher in Arklow, 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 $91.0 in Arklow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $405 – 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 Arklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,304 in Arklow – roughly 3% apart. Arklow costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,956 in Arklow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $91.0 in Arklow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Arklow, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Arklow at $1,304. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arklow 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,304 in Arklow. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arklow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.