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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,328 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,226 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,123 in Aruba.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Aruba is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$14.79 AWG 26.50

-20.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$91.0 AWG 163

-48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.57 AWG 18.95

10.22%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.28 AWG 9.46

-22.54%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.47 AWG 4.43

-44.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$2.19 AWG 3.92

-62.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$5.25 AWG 9.41

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$7.05 AWG 12.63

-1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.67 AWG 2.99

3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.84 AWG 5.10

-20.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.07 AWG 5.50

-42.35%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$3.80 AWG 6.81

-28.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$14.27 AWG 25.59

-35.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.11 AWG 7.37

117.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.97 AWG 3.53

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$2.54 AWG 4.55

-77.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$2.39 AWG 4.29

-35.15%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$233 AWG 418

-61.77%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$134 AWG 240

-81.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$85.3 AWG 153

-63.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

$301 AWG 539

-25.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$17.8K AWG 32.0K

-76.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$64.6 AWG 116

-30.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$119 AWG 213

-31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$644 AWG 1,154

66.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,383 AWG 2,480

-70.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$3,140 AWG 5,629

-38.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$3,982 AWG 7,137

-67.32%

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

$1,927 AWG 3,454

-61.15%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Aruba: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $644 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 157% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $91.0 in Aruba. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $148, with Aruba cheaper for home cooking.

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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $2,328 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 157% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $644 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Aruba pay roughly 87% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,328 in Aruba – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,328 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 80% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.