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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,873 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,038 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,204 in Aruba.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 56% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Aruba is 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$13.13 AWG 23.50

-8.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$91.6 AWG 164

-54.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.91 AWG 17.74

8.48%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.82 AWG 8.62

-27.39%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.26 AWG 4.04

-35.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.98 AWG 3.55

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.17 AWG 7.46

-29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.95 AWG 10.65

-24.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.74 AWG 6.70

-50.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.90 AWG 6.99

-59.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$5.62 AWG 10.06

-55.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$32.28 AWG 57.8

-74.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.75 AWG 12.09

24.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.71 AWG 29.91

-36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.95 AWG 10.64

-56.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.83 AWG 5.07

-49.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$7.05 AWG 12.61

-72.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$8.16 AWG 14.60

-74.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.96 AWG 7.09

-53.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$3.84 AWG 6.87

-43.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$5.95 AWG 10.64

-82.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$3.70 AWG 6.61

-71.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$17.43 AWG 31.20

-76.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.21 AWG 32.60

-44.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$4.97 AWG 8.89

-49.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.44 AWG 2.57

-8.33%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$254 AWG 454

-67.65%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$130 AWG 233

-82.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$66.5 AWG 119

-54.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$61.2 AWG 109

-15.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$12.96 AWG 23.19

-61.57%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$301 AWG 539

-34.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$17.9K AWG 32.0K

-70.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.11 AWG 87.9

-27.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$64.8 AWG 116

-37.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$119 AWG 214

-34.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$730 AWG 1,307

29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,389 AWG 2,485

-65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$3,245 AWG 5,807

-49.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$4,068 AWG 7,281

-70.24%

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

$1,939 AWG 3,470

-66.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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 Aruba: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $730 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 197% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $92.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $529 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Aruba differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $2,873 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 197% lower in Aruba. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $730 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 113% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,873 in Aruba – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,873 in Aruba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Aruba are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.