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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,799 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,039 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,279 in Aruba.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 54% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Aruba is 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.18 AWG 23.59

-11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$89.2 AWG 160

-53.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.04 AWG 17.96

5.98%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.90 AWG 8.77

-28.16%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.31 AWG 4.12

-34.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.09 AWG 3.73

-53.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.19 AWG 7.50

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.26 AWG 11.20

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.39 AWG 4.27

-42.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.72 AWG 6.66

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.92 AWG 7.02

-58.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.61 AWG 10.04

-55.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$32.39 AWG 58.0

-74.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.51 AWG 11.66

28.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.71 AWG 29.90

-35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.92 AWG 10.59

-56.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.92 AWG 5.23

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$6.95 AWG 12.43

-72.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$8.23 AWG 14.73

-74.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$4.08 AWG 7.31

-56.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.76 AWG 6.73

-41.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$6.09 AWG 10.90

-82.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$3.85 AWG 6.89

-71.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$17.75 AWG 31.76

-77.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.08 AWG 32.35

-42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.07 AWG 9.07

-49.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.41 AWG 2.53

-7.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$257 AWG 460

-67.76%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$131 AWG 234

-83.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$66.5 AWG 119

-55.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$60.3 AWG 108

-14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$12.87 AWG 23.03

-60.61%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$304 AWG 544

-33.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$17.7K AWG 31.7K

-70.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.48 AWG 88.5

-25.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$65.5 AWG 117

-39.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$122 AWG 219

-35.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$733 AWG 1,312

32.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,390 AWG 2,487

-66.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,140 AWG 5,620

-47.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$4,018 AWG 7,190

-69.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,895 AWG 3,391

-64.96%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $733 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 185% 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 $89.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $532 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 116% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,799 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aruba earns 185% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $733 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,799 in Aruba – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,799 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 116% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.