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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $298 in Artemisa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $562 in Artemisa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $826 in Artemisa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 325% more than Artemisa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Artemisa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Artemisa 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$10.09 CUP 242

14.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$25.45 CUP 611

85.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.27 CUP 30.48

213.39%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$2.14 CUP 51.4

-33.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$2.02 CUP 48.54

-59.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.53 CUP 36.73

108.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$2.15 CUP 51.6

215.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$2.56 CUP 61.6

-33.20%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.10 CUP 242

-5.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$29.78 CUP 715

-56.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

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

$25.20 MX$432

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

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

$224 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$20.11 CUP 483

134.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$9.96 CUP 239

344.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$80.3 CUP 1,927

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Artemisa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Artemisa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $130 – making Artemisa 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 Artemisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $298 in Artemisa – roughly 325% apart. Playa del Carmen 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 $447 in Artemisa. 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 $25.00 in Artemisa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $298 in Artemisa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Artemisa, where all-in costs run around $298, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Artemisa 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 $298 in Artemisa to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Artemisa. 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.